L1J3RAKY 

OF  Tin-: 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


O 


Mrs.  SARAH  P.  WALS WORTH. 

Received  October,  1894. 
Class  No. 


0?  TH1 

TJIX71HSI.TY 


-    BEFORE  THE.  DAWN : 

A    POEM; 

WITH 

INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES 

ON  PROPHETIC  SYMBOLS: 

PORTRAYING  THE   LAST   GREAT   CONFLICTS   WHICH    RESULT   IN   THE 

DOWNFALL  OF  PAPAL  DOMINATION 

THE   DESTRUCTION    OF   POLITICAL   AND    ECCLESIASTICAL   DESPOTISM,    AND    THE 

REMOVAL  OF   OTHER   HINDRANCES   TO    CHRISTIANITY    IN    THE 

NINETEENTH    CENTURY. 

BY 

REV.  C.  R.  BURDICK,  M.  A. 


TJHIVBRSXTY 


BUFFALO: 
BREED,  LENT   AND   COMPANY. 

1872. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871,  by 

REV.  C.  R.  BURDICK, 
in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


WARREN,  JOHNSON  &  Co. 

Stercotypcrs,  Printers  and  Binders^ 

BUFFALO,  N.  Y. 


CONTENTS. 


PREFACE, 5 

INTRODUCTORY  LECTURES  : 

I.     The  Great  War  in  Europe  in  1870, 7 

II.     The  French  Revolution  in  Prophecy, IS 

III.  England  and  Italy  in  Propliecy, 27 

IV.  Napoleon  Bonaparte  in  Prophecy, 33 

V.     The  City  of  Rome,  the  Seat  of  the  Beast,  in  Prophecy ; 

or,  Despotism  as  a  hindrance  to  Christianity,  ....  43 

VI.     The  same,  continued, 51 

VII.     America  in  Prophecy, 61 

VIII.     The  same,  continued, 75 

IX.     Paris,  under  the  Fifth  Vial, .  84 

X.     The  Sick  Man  of  Constantinople  in  Prophecy, 94 

XI.     The  Seventh  Vial, 104 

XII.     The  Darkness  and  Tempest  before  the  Dawn, 114 

POEM  : 

Canto  I.        Night  and  Storm, 125 

Canto  II.      The  False  Prophet, 203 

Canto  III.    The  last  Premillennial  Conflict, 263 


OF 

TJHITBRSITT 


PREFACE. 


THE  object  of  the  author  in  presenting  the  following 
volume  to  the  public,  is  to  call  increased  attention  to 
the  wonderful  book  from  which  the  theme  of  the  poem 
is  drawn,  and,  if  possible,  to  awaken  interest  in  the 
great  subjects  there  shadowed  forth,  in  the  minds 
of  those  who  have  hitherto  rejected  the  claims  of 
Christianity  as  a  divine  revelation.  He  is  well  aware 
that  the  book  of  Revelation  has  been  quite  generally 
regarded  as  a  sealed  book,  whose  mysteries  might  not 
be  pierced  by  the  inquiring  or  the  curious ;  but  if  "  all 
scripture  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for 
correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness,"  surely  it 
cannot  have  been  the  Divine  plan  that  this  book 
should  remain  unstudied.  Its  sublime  symbols,  finding 
their  fulfillment  in  the  passing  events  of  history,  were 
designed  to  rebuke  skepticism  and  strengthen  the 
Christian's  faith. 

The  author  has  made  no  attempt  to  be  critical  in  his 
exposition.  Neither  does  he  claim  that  his  views  are, 
in  the  main,  original.  His  chief  object  has  been  to 


vi  PREFACE. 

enforce  the  views  taken  by  our  recent  standard  expos 
itors,  and,  by  vivid  pictures,  to  impress  them  perma 
nently  upon  the  mind  and  heart  of  the  reader,  while, 
at  the  same  time,  he  has  felt  at  liberty  to  depart 
from  the  authorities  in  some  particulars. 

The  lectures  were  presented,  in  course,  to  his  congre 
gation  in  the  city  of  Joliet,  111.,  in  the  fall  of  1870  and 
spring  of  1871. 

The  poem  has  occupied  all  the  time  he  could  devote 
to  it,  without  interfering  with  his  pastoral  duties,  for 
more  than  two  years  past.  He  wrote  it  because  he 
loves  to  sing,  in  his  humble  way,  of  those  great  struggles 
and  glorious  triumphs  of  his  Master's  Kingdom,  which 
precede  the  blessed  Millennium. 

He  feels  sure  that  he  cherishes  no  unworthy  ambi 
tion,  if  he  would  attempt  to  consecrate  the  noble 
Spenserian  stanza  to  the  uses  of  Christianity. 

He  offers  his  first  book  to  an  intelligent  public, 
humbly  wishing,  hardly  daring  to  hope,  that  he  may 
thus  be  instrumental  in  hastening  the  final  triumph 
of  the  Messiah's  Kingdom  in  the  world.  If  the  Church 
wants  it  and  it  helps  her  in  any  degree,  he  will  be  more 
than  rewarded  for  all  his  toil. 


fUNIVBESITYB 
INTRODUCTORY  LECTURES. 


I. 

THE  GREAT  WAR  IN  EUROPE,  1870. 

And  oh  !  this  night  brings  tempests  in  its  train. — CANTO  I,  STANZA  n. 

And  I  looked,  and  behold,  a  white  cloud,  and  upon  the  cloud  one  sat 
like  unto  the  Son  of  man,  having  on  his  head  a  golden  crown,  and  in  his 
hand  a  sharp  sickle. 

And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple,  crying  with  a  loud  voice  to 
him  that  sat  on  the  cloud,  Thrust  in  thy  sickle,  and  reap  :  for  the  time  is 
come  for  thee  to  reap  ;  for  the  harvest  of  the  earth  is  ripe. 

And  he  that  sat  on  the  cloud  thrust  in  his  sickle  on  the  earth  ;  and  the 
earth  was  reaped. 

And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple  .which  is  in  heaven,  he  also 
having  a  sharp  sickle. 

And  another  angel  came  out  from  the  altar,  which  had  power  over  fire  ; 
and  cried  with  a  loud  cry  to  him  that  had  the  sharp  sickle,  saying,  Thrust 
in  thy  sharp  sickle,  and  gather  the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth  ;  for 
her  grapes  are  fully  ripe. 

And  the  angel  thrust  in  his  sickle  into  the  earth,  and  gathered  the  vine 
of  the  earth,  and  cast  it  into  the  great  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of  God. 

And  the  wine-press  was  trodden  without  the  city,  and  blood  came  out 
of  the  wine-press,  even  unto  the  horse-bridles,  by  the  space  of  a  thousand 
and  six  hundred  furlongs. — REV.  xiv.  14-20. 

THIS  is  an  epitome  of  what  follows,  until  Satan  is  bound 
for  a  thousand  years,  as  represented  in  the  twentieth  chapter. 
Under  the  startling  and  awful  symbols  of  our  text,  the 
apostle  makes  a  general  statement,  and  then  goes  on,  in  the 
following  chapters,  to  particularize.  It  is  a  synopsis  of  what 
is  contained  under  the  symbolism  of  the  seven  vials.  I  do 
not,  therefore,  pretend  to  find  a  specific  fulfillment  of  these 
awful  prophecies  in  the  events  of  the  present  time.  Yet  I 
do  believe  that  a  general  history,  in  its  relation  to  Chris 
tianity,  of  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  and  of  the  nine 
teenth  centuries,  up  to  the  present  time,  is  shadowed  forth  in 


8  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

the  symbols  of  this  part  of  the  Word  of  God.  I  have  given 
the  subject  a  great  deal  of  thought,  and  my  conclusions  are 
not  founded  on  mere  fancies.  The  resemblance  of  these 
symbols  to  what  I  believe  to  be  their  substance,  is  too 
striking  to  pass  unnoticed  by  the  careful  student  of  the 
Bible. 

After  much  study  I  have  adopted,  so  far  as  I  dare,  what 
seems  to  me  to  be  the  most  rational  interpretation  of  the 
symbols  of  the  beast  and  of  the  woman  who  sat  upon  his 
back,  clothed  in  scarlet,  as  described  in  the  seventeenth 
chapter ;  though,  of  course,  I  do  not  pretend  that  the  events, 
when  they  transpire,  may  not  furnish  a  better,  and,  perhaps, 
an  essentially  different,  interpretation.  As  it  seems  to  me, 
the  beast  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns  symbolizes  Polit 
ical  Despotism — Monarchism,  Imperialism,  Absolutism — as 
found  in  the  seven  principal  countries  of  Europe — England, 
France,  Spain,  Italy,  Austria,  Russia,  and  Prussia.  I  will 
not  strenuously  contend  that  those  seven  kingdoms  are  the 
specific  ones  shadowed  forth  by  the  heads  of  this  monster, 
nor  that  the  ten  horns  are  the  kings  increased  by  the  subor 
dinate  kings  of  Germany.  Yet  all  will  agree  that  there  is 
some  resemblance.  But  I  am  convinced  that  the  woman 
symbolizes  Ecclesiastical  Despotism,  seated  on  the  back  01 
political  power,  without  which  she  could  not,  in  our  day, 
execute  her  decrees.  You  will  find  Ecclesiastical  Despotism 
chiefly  among  the  Papal  powers,  but  not  exclusively.  The 
English  and  Greek  churches  have  had  some  share  in  eccle 
siastical  domination,  and  their  garments  are  not  entirely  free 
from  the  blood  of  persecution.  So  even  the  Presbyterians 
and  Puritans  have  had  some  share  in  persecution.  But  as 
religious  despotism  has  been  chiefly  confined  to  Rome,  John 
locates  its  throne  upon  the  seven  hills. 

When  the  student  of  history  sees  that  all  the  great  wars 
that  have  shaken  the  world  for  a  hundred  years,  have 
resulted  in  weakening  these  two  powers,  sweeping  away  one 
after  another  of  their  supports,  even  when  the  thunders  have 
not  been  directly  launched  upon  either  of  them,  he  must  be 
skeptical,  indeed,  if  he  cannot  see  Eternal  Providence  riding 
on  the  storm,  and  directing  the  winds  where  to  blow,  and  the 
bolts  where  to  fall. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  9 

We  find  in  prophecy  that  the  woman  fell  first.  Babylon 
is  first  proclaimed  fallen,  then  "  the  beast  which  was  and  is 
not,  and  yet  is,"  goes  down  in  the  last  great  battle,  when  the 
angel  standing  in  the  sun  calls  to  the  fowls  of  heaven  to 
"  Come  and  gather  themselves  together  to  the  supper  of  the 
great  God,  to  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  cap 
tains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses 
and  of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and  the  flesh  of  all  men,  both 
free  and  bond,  both  small  and  great." 

Ecclesiastical  Despotism  to-day  trembles  when  she  sees 
her  defenders  march  away  to  a  distant  land  to  be  swallowed 
up  in  the  maelstrom  which  ambition  has  stirred  up  on  the 
stormy  waters  of  strife,  and  turns  pale  when  she  hears  the 
murmur  of  rising  peoples  and  the  tramp  of  armies  hastening 
to  hurl  her  down  from  her  seat  on  the  seven  hills.  I  say 
ecclesiastical  despotism ;  I  do  not  say  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  for  it  would  be  a  great  calamity  if  that  should  be 
destroyed ;  but  the  power  that  dominates  her  shall  be  cast 
down,  and  she,  like  the  nations,  shall  be  enfranchised. 

You  remember  how  the  revolution  of  1789  rolled  its  surges, 
not  only  against  the  throne  of  kings,  but  also  that  of  reli 
gious  despotism,  and  bore  away  some  of  their  strongest 
supports.  Then  the  wars  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  though  in 
the  service  of  the  most  absolute  despotism,  launched  their 
thunders  upon  the  head  of  this  power,  and  under  their 
shocks  it  almost  went  down.  True,  it  raised  its  head  again 
above  the  waves,  but  it  was  shorn  of  much  of  its  prestige. 
Then  during  the  revolutions  in  Italy,  where  the  fifth  vial  was 
poured  out  upon  the  throne  of  the  beast,  and  especially  in 
Italian  unity,  so  hopefully  initiated  by  the  battles  of  Magenta 
and  Solferino,  and  thus  far  perfected  by  the  battle  of  Sadowa — 
the  same  event  liberalizing  Austria,  its  chief  bulwark — eccle 
siastical  despotism  received  most  stunning  blows.  The  abo 
lition  of  serfdom  in  Russia,  and  the  destruction  of  slavery 
in  this  country,  after  one  of  the  most  tremendous  struggles 
of  history,  are  great  events  bearing  directly  on  political  des 
potism,  and  more  remotely  on  religious.  I  refer  the  reader 
to  my  poem  further  on,  which  embodies  my  thoughts  on  this 
subject,  rendering  it  unnecessary  to  repeat  them  here. 


10  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

It  is  not  for  me  to  say  that  Louis  Napoleon  stands  forth  in 
the  foreground  of  history  to-day,  as  the  fulfillment  of  any 
distinct  prophetic  symbol.  I  do  not  see  him  in  any  symbol, 
nor  anything,  as  it  seems  to  me,  that  would  suggest  him  to 
any  unprejudiced  mind;  yet,  doubtless,  his  form  was  seen 
by  the  prophet,  blended  with  other  forms  which  crowd  the 
great  canvas  of  Eternal  Providence,  as  objects  are  blended  by 
distance  on  a  landscape,  and  I  do  not  doubt  but  he  has  had 
an  important  part  in  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy,  and  I  have 
never  doubted  what  the  termination  of  his  reign  would  be. 
In  prosecuting  my  work  on  the  poem  which  follows  these  lec 
tures,  about  a  year  ago,  (October,  1869,)  I  sketched  the 
campaigns  of  the  first  Napoleon,  in  northern  Italy,  as  the 
highly  probable  fulfillment  of  the  symbolism  of  the  third 
vial.  At  the  close  of  the  sketch  I  introduced  what  seemed 
to  me  to  be  a  still  further  fulfillment  of  this  terrible  sym 
bolism,  a  short  sketch  of  the  Franco-Italian  campaign 
against  the  power  of  Austria,  in  that  same  country  of  rivers 
and  fountains.  I  quote  a  few  lines,  as  they  will  not  appear, 
in  this  form,  in  the  poem  : 

But  all  that  vial  was  not  spent, 
Though  many  streams  with  blood  were  blent, 
Till  fifty  years,  when  in  that  land, 
Another  scourge  of  God  should  stand. 
Exalted  to  his  uncle's  throne 

By  revolution's  shifting  tide, 
He  grasped  a  scepter  not  his  own. 

But  for  a  season  to  abide, 
To  beat  the  nations,  as  a  rod, 
In  hand  of  an  avenging  God  ; 

Then  to  be  vilely  cast  aside, 

All  shorn  of  power  and  crushed  in  pride. 
That  fate  is  thine,  Napoleon, 
Of  Rome,  self-styled,  the  eldest  son. 

Of  course  I  make  no  claim  to  prophetic  vision,  nor,  indeed, 
to  any  extraordinary  sagacity ;  but  I  wrote  the  above  when 
there  was  no  political  cloud  in  the  heavens  to  portend  the 
fearful  storm  that  is  now  sweeping  over  France ;  because  I 
believed  in  God,  in  his  revelation,  in  eternal  right  and  in 
the  final  triumph  of  civil  liberty  along  with  a  pure  religion  ; 
both  of  which  are  grandly  shadowed  forth  in  the  prophetic 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  II 

symbols  we  are  considering  —  of  both  of  which  Louis 
Napoleorj,  with  all  his  large  professions,  has  shown  himself 
a  most  unscrupulous  enemy.  It  is  true  that  none  of  us 
are  yet  certain  as  to  what. his  ultimate  fate  may  be;  yet  it 
now  looks  very  much  as  if  he  had  been  "  vilely  cast  aside, 
all  shorn  of  power  and  crushed  in  pride,"  by  the  swirls  of 
the  whirlwind  which  he  himself  has  evoked  from  the  stormy 
elements. 

Contemplate  the  fearful  campaign  whose  thunders  have 
startled  the  world  for  the  last  two  months,  and  tell  me  if 
ever  the  hand  of  God  was  more  distinctly  visible  in  human 
affairs.  Everything  about  it  has  disappointed  ordinary 
human  calculation.  The  world  was  astonished  and  indig 
nant  when  Napoleon,  on  the  most  flimsy  pretext  possible, 
declared  war  and  hurried  his  army  away  to  invade  Prussian 
territory.  All  have  been  astonished  at  the  amazing  rapidity 
of  the  mobilization  of  the  Prussian  army,  so  rapid  that 
William  was  ready  to  strike  the  first  blow.  Who  ever  heard 
of  three-quarters  of  a  million  of  men  drawn  so  quickly  from 
every  part  of  the  kingdom,  and  hurled  so  furiously  against 
the  would-be  invaders  ?  We  were  astonished  to  see  the 
tables  turned,  and  a  great  host  invading  France,  instead  of 
Germany.  We  have  been  filled  with  admiration  at  the  won 
drous,  unity  of  the  German  people ;  and  the  sagacity  of 
statesmen  has  been  put  to  fault  by  the  course  which  the 
South  German  States  have  taken  in  the  conflict.  The  world 
has  been  filled  with  amazement  at  the  unbroken  series  of 
brilliant  victories  that  have  crowned  the  German  arms,  and 
at  the  rapidity  with  which  the  magnificent  army  of  France 
has  melted  away  under  the  steady  but  terrific  assaults  of  her 
invincible  foes.  And  we  are  bewildered  at  the  unparalleled 
spectacle  of  a  hundred  thousand  Frenchmen  surrendering  in 
Sedan  at  discretion,  with  the  emperor  himself,  and  his  gen 
erals,  arms,  munitions  and  standards.  We  instinctively 
exclaim :  Where  are  the  valor  and  generalship  of  Austerlitz, 
of  Jena  and  Auerstadt?  And  so,  when  the  veil  of  the  con 
flict  lifts  and  displays  more  perfectly  the  gory  wrecks  of  the 
battle-field,  no  doubt  the  world  will  be  astonished  and 
appalled  at  the  fearful  slaughter  of  victims  by  the  terrible 
engines  of  destruction  which  civilization,  or  barbarism,  has 


12  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

introduced  into  the  warfare  of  the  nineteenth  century.  To 
cap  the  climax,  the  world  is  amazed  at  the  rapidity  and 
apparent  hopelessness  of  the  downfall  of  the  most  formid 
able  despotism  of  the  age. 

I  have  read  with  wonder  and  awe  about  the  rapid  advance 
of  Alexander  into  the  East,  when,  before  his  invincible  pha 
lanxes,  the  Persian  legions  went  down  on  the  fearful  fields  of 
the  Granicus,  of  Isus,  of  Arbela,  and  other  fields,  which  in 
twelve  years  erected  the  great  Macedonian  Empire,  with 
Babylon  for  its  capital.  With  wonder  I  have  followed  Han 
nibal,  the  Carthaginian  general,  across  Gibraltar,  through 
Spain,  over  the  Pyrenees,  through  Gaul,  and  over  the  Alps 
into  Italy,  his  wonderful  campaign  culminating  in  the  terrific 
battle  of  Lake  Thrasymene,  in  whose  roar  an  earthquake 
which  shook  the  continent  and  overthrew  cities,  passed 
unheeded  by  the  opponents.  I  know  something  of  the  cam 
paigns  of  Julius  Cresar,  who  spread  the  Roman  Empire  over 
Switzerland,  Gaul,  Germany,  and  a  large  part  of  Britain.  I 
have  studied  quite  carefully  the  campaigns  of  Napoleon. 
But  I  find  nothing  in  all  these  that  can  equal  this  campaign, 
not  even  in  Napoleon's  masterpiece,  as  it  has  been  called, 
the  campaign  of  Austerlitz.  Results  which  formerly  would 
have  required  years  to  accomplish,  have  been  achieved  in 
two  short  months.  What  but  the  hand  of  God  is  hurrying 
up  affairs  to  make  room  for  the  grand  coming  events  whose 
greatness  casts  their  shadows  before  ?  He  hath  said  of  the 
world,  "I  will  overturn,  overturn,  overturn  it,"  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  reign  of  his  Son. 

Of  course  it  is  too  early  to  speak  with  certainty  in  refer 
ence  to  the  ultimate  results  of  this  fearful  campaign.  But 
one  thing  seems  to  be  taken  for  granted  by  all :  the  Empire 
of  Louis  Napoleon  Bonaparte  is  at  an  end.  There  are  none 
among  the  nations,  and  few  even  in  France,  so  poor  as  to  do 
him  reverence.  Held  as  a  prisoner  in  a  German  fortress, 
which  at  the  same  time  affords  an  asylum  to  him  from  the 
fury  of  his  quondam  subjects,  he  is  to-day  an  object  of  com 
miseration,  rather  than  of  fear. 

But  one  of  the  impending  results  of  the  fall  of  the  French 
Empire  is  the  destruction  of  the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope, 
and  the  end  of  ecclesiastical  despotism  in  Italy.  Imperial 


NTRODUCTORY     LECTURES.  13 

France  was  its  last  powerful  supporter.  When  her  armies 
embarked  from  Rome,  the  city  was  left  at  the  mercy  of 
Italian  troops,  which,  beyond  all  doubt,  will  soon  occupy  it, 
and  make  it  the  capital  of  United  Italy.  The  Papacy  has 
nothing  to  hope  from  a  French  Republic ;  and  should  that 
fail,  as  many  of  its  friends  fear  it  will,  years  must  elapse,  if 
the  time  ever  comes,  when  France  will  have  gained  anything 
like  the  position  she  has  lately  occupied  among  the  nations. 
Ere  that  time  the  last  vestige  of  ecclesiastical  despotism 
may  have  been  swept  from  the  earth  forever;  or  other 
nations  may  so  far  outstrip  France  that  she  cannot  afford 
protection  to  the  Papal  power,  should  she  have  any  incli 
nation  that  way.  So  this  great  war  has  knocked  another 
strong  pillar  from  beneath  that  colossal  power  which,  at  one 
time,  dominated  the  world,  and  even  now,  in  its  dotage,  shows 
immense  vitality.  True,  it  is  not  destroyed,  but  it  hastens 
to  its  downfall. 

And  so  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  dreadful  war  will 
strike  an  equally  strong  blow  upon  political  despotism.  We 
know  that  Sadowa  liberalized  Austria,  whatever  may  have 
been  the  intentions  of  Prussia.  We  see  that  this  war  has 
overthrown  imperialism  in  France  and  erected  a  French 
Republic,  whatever  may  be  its  future  fate.  It  cannot  be 
that  such  expense  of  blood  and  treasure,  solely  in  the  inter 
ests  of  despotism,  will  fail  to  open  the  eyes  of  nations,  and  to 
hasten  the  time  when  it  shall  be  an  established  maxim  that 
government  is  for  the  people,  and  not  for  those  who  hold 
its  reins. 

However  this  may  be,  we  may  rest  in  the  conclusion  that 
the  destinies  of  Europe,  and,  so  far  as  it  goes,  of  the  world, 
will  be  safer  under  German,  than  under  French  leadership. 
We  may  hope  for  a  more  liberal  international  policy,  so  far 
as  German  influence  can  establish  it.  German  ideas  are 
more  nearly  abreast  of  the  age  than  French ;  and,  in  all  good 
conscience,  we  hope  and  believe  that  the  tone  of  public 
morality  is  much  higher  in  Germany.  If  she  stands  at 
the  head  of  the  nations  of  Europe,  these  things  must  have 
their  influence,  and  they  will  help  to  shape  its  international 
policy. 


14  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

The  greatness  of  Prussia  is  not  so  much  in  the  diplomacy 
of  her  statesmen,  nor  in  the  strategy,  generalship  and 
bravery  of  her  armies,  as  in  the  universal  education  of  her 
masses.  When  the  predecessor  of  William  nobly  resolved, 
at  the  risk  of  his  throne,  to  instruct  the  masses  by  a  system 
of  free  schools,  he  laid  the  foundation  of  the  greatness  of 
Prussia.  Her  people  thus  have  an  immense  advantage  over 
the  uneducated  masses  of  France.  While  the  French  sol 
dier,  only  inspired  to  battle  by  the  vision  of  glory,  little 
capable  of  realizing  the  moral  aspects  of  the  struggle  he 
may  be  engaged  in,  is  demoralized  when  his  bubble  is 
pierced  by  the  bayonets  of  defeat,  the  German,  having 
decided  that  he  is  fighting  for  a  principle,  and  capable  of 
reasoning  on  the  subject,  esteems  temporary  defeat  an  honor, 
and,  with  more  unyielding  determination,  nerves  himself 
anew  for  the  conflict  whose  success  with  him  is  a  moral  cer 
tainty,  because  it  is  right.  Had  the  armies  of  Napoleon  the 
First  met  the  soldiers  of  William  on  the  tremendous  fields 
of  Jena  and  Auerstadt,  the  result  of  that  awful  day  of  bat 
tles  would,  undoubtedly,  have  been  different.  That  the 
Germans  believe  that  they  have  been  repelling  unprovoked 
aggression  in  this  conflict,  no  one  doubts ;  and  all  thinking 
men  will  admit  that  this  is  one  great  secret  of  their  success. 
So  one  great  lesson  of  this  war,  to  rulers  and  statesmen,  is, 
to  educate  the  masses.  It  is  time  to  dismiss  the  idea  that 
ignorance  in  the  common  soldier  promotes  obedience — that 
the  thinking  bayonet  is  not  the  ready  instrument  of  thorough 
military  discipline.  It  ts,  doubtless,  true  that  the  soldier 
must  be  ignorant  to  be  the  ready  tool  of  an  unmitigated  des 
potism.  But  if  he  is  to  fight  for  humanity,  and  not  to 
decide  the  quarrels  of  kings,  in  which  he  really  has  very 
little  interest,  he  must  be  educated.  Religious,  moral  and 
intellectual  instruction  for  the  masses,  is  the  great  want  of 
France  to-day.  Without  it,  we  have  little  hope  of  her  main 
taining  a  republican  form  of  government.  If  the  Republic 
can  retain  its  power  until  the  light  of  science  and  of  a  pure 
religion  beams  upon  the  darkened  masses,  we  may  hope  that 
ii  will  become  permanent,  but  not  without. 

The  sympathizers  with  France — and  it  is  a  little  curious 
that  these  are  nearly  all  Catholics — claim  that  this  struggle 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  15 

has  none  of  the  features  of  a  religious  war.  They  refer,  by 
way  of  proof  of  the  correctness  of  their  claim,  to  the  exam 
ple  of  the  Catholic  States  of  Germany.  If  Catholicism, 
they  ask,  were  arrayed  against  Protestant  Prussia,  why 
should  not  these  States  be  against  her?  But  this  is  no  proof. 
The  Emperor  calculated  upon  their  siding  with  him,  and  all 
thinking  men  will  see  that  Catholicism  was  the  chief  ground 
of  this  expectation.  But  he  reckoned  without  his  host.  The 
Ecumenical  Council  had  been  in  session  at  Rome ;  the  dogma 
of  Papal  Infallibility  had  been  proclaimed,  against  the  pro 
tests  of  German  bishops.  Estranged,  to  a  great  extent,  by 
this,  from  Rome,  these  States  would  naturally  follow  their 
national  sympathies.  So,  the  folly  of  the  Pope  has  aided  in 
the  downfall  of  Napoleon,  and  hastened  his  own.  And  it 
does  not  appear  that  Jesuitism  did  not  connive  with 
Napoleon's  ambition  to  cripple  the  strongest  Protestant 
power  on  the  continent,  thus  to  forward  its  own  schemes  of 
ambition.  The  result  appears  in  a  dethroned  and  captive. 
Emperor,  the  great  army  of  France  defeated,  demoralized, 
almost  annihilated,  and  a  victorious  Prussian  army,  swarm 
ing  like  grasshoppers  around  doomed  and  trembling  Paris, 
and  thundering  at  her  gates.  Future  historians  will  place 
William  among  the  champions  of  Protestantism,  along  with 
Frederick  the  Great.  Thus,  in  our  day,  Providence  has 
raised  up  the  German  power,  a  granite  mountain,  against 
which  Latinism.  has  been  dashed  to  pieces  in  the  behalf  of 
human  liberty. 

The  moral  lessons  of  these  great  events  cannot  be  enumer 
ated  here.  We  can  only  glance  at  some  of  them.  One  is 
Providential  retribution  in  the  affairs  of  nations.  Jesus 
Christ  said,  long  ago,  "  All  they  that  take  the  sword  shall 
perish  by  the  sword."  We  have  seen  this  verified  in  history 
too  often  to  be  skeptical.  The  first  Napoleon  carved  his 
way  to  the  Empire  of  France,  and  to  the  dictatorship  of 
Rome  and  of  Europe,  with  his  merciless  sword.  The  star 
of  his  destiny  began  to  wane  on  the  frozen  steppes  of 
Russia;  it  was  shaken  from  its  hight  on  the  tremendous 
field  of  Leipsic,  to  rise  again,  to  blaze  for  a  hundred  days  in 
the  eyes  of  an  astonished  world,  but  it  set  in  blood  on  the 
awful  fiejid  of  Waterloo.  The  third  Napoleon  followed  in 


16  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

his  uncb's  steps,  so  far  as  his  genius  and  the  spirit  of  the 
age  would  permit — wading  through  the  blood  of  revolution 
to  an  imperial  throne.  The  sword  of  execution  raised  him 
to  his  throne ;  the  sword  of  Jehovah,  in  the  hand  of  Ger 
many,  has  laid  him  low.  And  the  last  act  in  this  drama  is 
the  most  striking  illustration  of  all.  He  took  the  sword,  on 
.he  most  shallow  pretext,  to  humble  an  envied  rival;  it  is 
turned  against  his  own  bosom,  and  he  is  smitten  from  his 
throne. 

Here  is  another  astonishing  lesson  of  Providence.  The 
Pope  had  just  arrived  at  the  summit  of  his  earthly  ambition ; 
he  had  just  procured  the  pompous  proclamation  of  his  own 
infallibility,  when  lo !  the  shifting  scene !  The  bayonets 
which  have  upheld  his  waning  power  are  withdrawn  from  his 
support;  his  last  imperial  defender  is  crushed  under  the 
avalanche  which  his  own  hand  had  loosened,  and  His  Holi 
ness  is  left  drifting  on  the  sea  of  revolution,  with  Italian 
nationality  and  unity  knocking  at  the  gates  of  Rome.  Will 
his  infallibility  save  him  ?  We  shall  see. 

Here,  too,  is  another  lesson  on  the  vanity  of  human  great 
ness.  It  was  but  yesterday  that  the  third  Napoleon  sat  upon 
the  throne  of  the  greatest  nation  in  Europe,  wielding  the 
destiny  of  millions,  dictating  the  policy  of  nations — the 
dread  of  the  civilized  world.  To-day,  where  is  the  pride  of 
his  greatness !  Where  is  the  glittering  crown  which  begirt 
his  ambitious  temples !  Where  the  pomp  and  splendor  of 
his  imperial  court !  Where  are  the  purple  robes  of  state  ! 
Where  the  adulation  of  millions  whose  thundering  "Vive 
1'Empereurs  "  were  wont  to  tingle  in  his  ears  !  Where  is  that 
magnificent  martial  array  which  poured  through  the  gates  of 
Paris,  with  waving  banners,  and  dancing  plumes,  and  gleam 
ing  armor,  the  tramp  of  whose  splendid  cavalry  shook  the 
earth  around  ?  They  went  gaily,  boastfully  forth,  joyful  with 
life  and  vigor,  as  if  to  a  summer  pic-nic  on  the  fair  banks  of 
the  Rhine.  Where  are  they  now?  Their  mangled  carcases 
lie  weltering  in  gore  upon  the  battle-fields  of  the  frontier ; 
horse  and  rider  have  gone  down  in  the  shock  of  battle ;  the 
fowls  of  heaven  swarm  to  their  feasts  upon  the  unburied 
slain,  and  the  wail  of  the  widows  of  France  goes  up  from 
the  length  and  breadth  of  that  unhappy  land.  Napoleon  a 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  I/ 

prisoner  in  a  German  fortress !  His  Empress  flying  for  her 
life  from  the  multitudes  which  once  fawned  upon  her  foot 
steps  !  His  child  an  exile  in  a  foreign  land !  He  himself 
proscribed  by  his  own  countrymen,  and  covered  with  their 
curses  !  His  palaces  invaded  by  the  mob  !  His  royal  tables 
feasting  the  palates  of  the  sans-culottes  \  The  symbols  of 
his  imperial  sway  indignantly  torn  down  and  trampled  in  the 
dust !  How  have  the  mighty  fallen  !  "  Sic  transit  gloria 
mundi!"  Will  ambitious  men  learn  a  lesson?  Will  the 
worldly  learn  to  "  set  their  affections  on  things  above,  and 
not  on  things  on  the  earth  "  ? 


18  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 


II. 

THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION  IN  PROPHECY. 

Wide  o'er  the  astonished  world  an  angel  soars.  —  CANTO  I,  STANZA  35. 

And  the  first  [angel]  went  and  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  earth  ;  and 
there  fell  a  noisome  and  grievous  sore  upon  the  men  which  had  the  mark 
of  the  beast  and  upon  them  which  worshiped  his  image. — REV.  XVI.  2. 

THIS  is  the  beginning  of  one  of  the  most  solemn  and 
awful  delineations  of  the  Word  of  God.  Such  startling  sym 
bols  must  be  portentous  of  great  calamities  upon  the  class  of 
men  here  designated,  whoever  they  may  be.  Of  course,  no 
wise  man  will  be  very  positive  that  he  has  found  their  true 
meaning.  Yet  they  are  in  the  Word  of  God,  in  the  Revelation 
of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God  gave  to  him,  to  show  unto  his  ser 
vants.  They  must  have  been  designed  to  be  understood  at 
some  time,  or  they  could  not  be  called  revelations,  for  that 
is  no  revelation  which  conveys  no  meaning  with  it.  It  must 
have  been  designed  for  study  and  meditation;  and  if  we 
engage  in  it  with  a  humble  and  teachable  spirit,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  but  it  will  be  profitable  for  us. 

It  was,  undoubtedly,  the  intention  of  this  symbolism  to 
shadow  forth  something  falling  upon  a  large  class  of  men 
which  might  be  called  a  plague  or  sore.  Any  thing  which 
would  produce  such  an  effect  would  answer  the  conditions 
of  the  symbols.  Whatever  the  contents  of  the  vial  migM 
symbolize,  whether  something  in  itself  good  or  evil,  if  it  pro 
duced  such  an  effect  upon  them,  they  would  certainly  call  it 
evil ;  to  them  it  would  be  a  plague,  a  sore.  The  beast  is, 
beyond  all  question,  a  symbol  for  the  same  things  which  the 
woman  and  the  monster  on  which  she  rode  symbolize,  to 
which  I  alluded  last  Sabbath  evening,  viz. :  civil  and  reli 
gious  despotism.  Mr.  Barnes  calls  them  the  civil  and  eccle 
siastical  powers  of  Rome;  but  as  Rome  has  not  been  the 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  19 

only  power  which  has  wielded  a  despotic  sway  over  the 
bodies  and  souls  of  men,  it  must  appear  that  his  exposition 
is  not  broad  enough.  Yet  if  we  could  take  from  the  pages 
of  history  the  record  of  Roman  political  and  ecclesiastical 
despotism,  especially  the  latter,  we  should  take  away  the 
greater  part  of  history  for  fifteen  hundred  years.  These  two 
powers  are  so  nearly  allied  that  they  have  usually  gone  in 
company.  Ecclesiastical  despotism  could  never  have  done 
much  hurt  in  the  world,  if  she  had  not  been  supported  by 
political  despotism — if  she  had  not  been  able  to  catch  and 
ride  that  beast  into  power.  Hence,  what  affects  one  must 
directly  or  indirectly  affect  the  other.  We  have  concluded 
that  the  whole  seven  vials  symbolize  those  influences  of  one 
kind  and  another  which  are  crippling,  and  finally  destined 
to  destroy,  these  forms  of  despotism  which  we  find  shadowed 
forth  under  the  symbols  of  the  dragon,  the  first  and  second 
beasts,  the  abandoned  woman,  the  false  prophet,  the  Great 
River  Euphrates,  and  the  three  unclean  spirits  which  pro 
ceeded  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet.  All 
these  disclose  forms  of  evil  at  war  with  human  advancement, 
spiritual  and  temporal,  and  hence,  despotism,  in  its  various 
forms  and  modes,  seeking  to  destroy  both  political  and  reli 
gious  freedom.  Hence,  whatever  goes  to  cripple  despotism, 
of  any  form,  and  especially  ecclesiastical,  may  be  fitly  sym 
bolized  by  a  vial  of  wrath  poured  out  upon  the  supporters 
of  oppression  by  a  God  who  "  created  all  men  free  and 
equal,  and  endowed  them  with  certain  inalienable  rights, 
among  which  are  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness." 
So  any  thing  which  may  be  called  a  plague  or  sore  upon  the 
supporters  of  despotism,  may  be  fittingly  symbolized  by  the 
effects  of  this  vial  of  wrath.  It  was  poured  out  upon  the 
earth,  and  it  produced  "  a  noisome  and  grievous  sore  upon 
the  men  which  had  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  upon  them 
which  worshiped  his  image."  This  describes  two  classes 
of  adherents  to  these  forms  of  despotism.  Those  who  bore 
the  mark  of  the  beast  are,  undoubtedly,  those  who  gave  him 
their  external  support  for  mere  personal  ends,  without  any 
particular  regard  for  him,  only  as  he  could  promote  their 
own  selfish  purposes.  Among  this  class  must  be  ranked 


20  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

many  of  the  Roman  Catholic  sovereigns  of  the  past  century. 
Those  who  worship  his  image  are  those  who,  body  and  soul, 
believe  in,  and  worship  the  monster.  But  it  should  be 
observed  that  both  classes  are  involved  in  consequences 
which  follow  the  outpouring  of  the  vial. 

At  the  risk  of  being  considered,  perhaps,  a  fanciful  inno 
vator,  I  shall  make  the  suggestion  that  modern  Republi 
canism  may  be  fittingly  symbolized  by  the  contents  of  this 
vial.  Poured  out  upon  the  earth,  it  operates  as  a  healthful 
medicine  often  does  upon  a  patient  whose  blood  has  long 
been  corrupted,  by  bringing  the  corruption  to  the  surface  in 
the  form  of  grievous  sores.  The  rude  shocks  which  polit 
ical  despotism  experienced  from  the  American  Revolution 
— whose  successful  issue  was  followed,  in  less  than  seven 
years,  by  that  of  France — showed  its  insecure  tenure  of 
existence  in  modern  civilization.  The  scenes  that  followed 
are  the  sores  which  broke  out  upon  its  upholders.  France* 
thought  to  improve  the  medicine  by  mingling  that  with  it 
which  proved  to  be  a  fatal  poison,  and  that  was  French 
atheism.  But  the  compound  acted  with  special  potency 
upon  ecclesiastical  despotism.  This  was  the  offspring  of 
long  years  of  tyranny  and  abuse.  God  and  heavenly  things 
were  so  wretchedly  represented  by  their  accredited  earthly 
exponents,  that  a  natural,  though  most  disastrous  result,  was, 
that  many,  in  throwing  off  the  abuses,  repudiated  all  reli 
gion.  And  however  terrible  French  atheism  proved  to  be, 
however  impious  its  upholders,  though  they  cannot  be  held 
at  all  excusable,  yet  political  and  ecclesiastical  despotism 
are  mainly  responsible  for  it.  It  is  little  wonder,  then,  that 
so  unseemly  an  offspring  should  turn  and  rend  its  equally 
unseemly  parents.  The  French  Revolution  was  a  tremendous 
upheaval  of  human  society,  resulting  largely  from  the  repub 
lican  leaven  which  had  long  been  working  there.  While  it 
did  incalculable  service  to  the  cause  of  human  progress,  like 
the  whirlwind  and  thunder-gust — which  are  often  necessary 
to  purify  the  stagnant  air,  shaking  from  it  its  poisonous  mala 
rias — it  did  a  great  deal  of  harm.  While  it  struck  most 
staggering  blows  upon  kingly  and  priestly  prerogative,  it 

*  Note  3,  Canto  I,  stanza  36. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  21 

swept  away  much  of  the  beneficent  fruits  of  a  pure  Chris 
tianity  not  yet  entirely  dead  in  France,  which,  if  preserved 
and  nurtured,  might  have  rendered  their  republican  insti 
tutions  enduring. 

The  nation  has  not  yet  recovered  from  that  storm  of  good 
and  evil,  so  strangely  blended.  All  authorities  admit  that 
she  had  been  the  victim  of  shameful  abuses,  under  monarch 
ical  rule.  The  people  had  groaned,  for  a  long  time,  under 
them.  They  had  loudly  and  justly  clamored  for  redress. 
The  imbecile  Louis  obstinately  persisted  in  refusing  it,  until 
he  drove  them  into  open  revolt.  Then,  when  they  had 
taken  redress  into  their  own  hands,  he  offered  to  make  con 
cessions,  but  it  was  too  late.  In  1789  the  Revolution  tri 
umphed,  and  he  was  virtually  stripped  of  power,  though  he 
nominally  held  the  reins  until  some  time  after.  But  he  was 
finally  de-posed,  amid  great  indignities,  and  ultimately  guil 
lotined,  with  several  of  his  family,  including  his  Queen.  A 
French  Republic  was  thus  established.  It  was  sustained  for 
a  number  of  years.  Napoleon  the  First  subverted  it,  while 
uttering  the  most  enthusiastic  protestations  of  attachment  to 
liberty.  Yea,  in  the  name  of  civil  liberty,  his  usurpations 
were  accomplished,  liberty  strangled,  and  an  unlimited  des 
potism  enthroned.  But  while  the  Republic  lasted,  it  was  the 
plague — the  sore  of  despotism.  It  proclaimed  universal  war 
on  kings  of  every  degree,  and  too  generously  offered  the 
right  hand,  to  help  all  who  would  hoist  the  flag  of  rebellion 
against  kingcraft  and  priestcraft.  French  emissaries  were 
in  all  parts  of  Europe,  secretly,  if  not  openly,  stirring  up 
the  people  to  rebellion.  They  had  numerous  sympathizers 
everywhere,  and  kings,  feeling  the  heavings  of  the  earth 
quake,  trembled  for  their  crowns,  sceptres  and  royal  prerog 
atives.  French  influence  established  republics  in  Belgium, 
Holland  and  Italy.  Republican  armies  hung  like  thunder 
clouds  in  the  passes  of  the  Pyrenees,  and  even  rolled  the 
tide  of  invasion  into  Spain.  Republican  cannon  thundered 
across  the  Rhine,  at  the  gates  of  Germany ;  and  their  echoes 
were  heard  across  the  Straits  of  Dover.  Republican  armies 
defied  the  world,  and,  for  a  time,  faced  the  combined  powers 
of  Europe.  Had  the  Republic  been  less  inclined  to  pros 
elyte  other  nations,  by  intrigue  and  by  arms,  and,  content 


22  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

with  achieving  the  liberties  of  France,  acted  purely  on  the 
defensive,  she  might  have  remained  unto  this  day,  in  spite  of 
the  opposition  of  kings.  It  is  conceded  that  republicanism 
gave  to  the  nation  that  tremendous  military  prowess  which, 
under  Napoleon,  carried  the  eagles  of  France  to  Berlin, 
Vienna,  Moscow,  Madrid,  and  the  Eternal  City.  Could  it 
have  been  directed  by  such  pure  and  patriotic  men  as 
our  own  dear  Washington,  the  history  of  France,  and  of 
Europe,  would  have  been  different.  But  her  leaders  were 
either  wrong-headed  or  corrupt  men,  and  they  led  her  to 
destruction. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church,*  the  instinctive  enemy  of 
republican  institutions,  so  recognized  and  so  treated  by  the 
French  Republic,  felt  the  heaviest  blows.  All  church  prop 
erty  was  confiscated,  priests  were  banished  under  the 
severest  penalties,  and  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  pub 
licly  abjured. f  But  the  terrible  misfortune  and  fatal  mistake 
was,  that,  with  this,  she  abjured  all  religion. J  Her  chamber 
of  deputies  published  the  awful  blasphemy  :  "  Resolved,  that 
there  is  no  God,  and  death  is  an  eternal  sleep."  The 
Republic  then  became  a  more  bitter  persecutor  than  Rome 
had  been  in  France  for  centuries.  The  Reign  of  Terror, 
the  most  terrible  outbreak  of  human  passion  on  the  records 
of  civilized  nations,  began  soon  after  this.  The  Girondists 
first  held  the  power,  and  ruled  the  nation  with  high-handed 
tyranny ;  but  they  were  soon  hurled  by  violence  from  their 
seats  in  the  national  assembly  by  the  Jacobins,  and  hurried 
away  to  the  guillotine,  under  the  leadership  of  Marat, 
Danton,  Robespierre  and  others.  The  rule  of  the  Giron 
dists  was  mildness  and  mercy,  compared  with  that  of  the 
Jacobins.  Political  murders  became  the  order  of  the  day. 
Tens  of  thousands,  on  the  merest  suspicion  of  being  inimical 
to  the  Republic,  as  was  claimed,  but  really  to  the  reigning 
faction,  became  the  victims  of  midnight  arrest  by  gens 
d'anncs,  and,  with  scarcely  a  form  of  trial,  were  sentenced  to 
death,  and,  without  a  decent  delay,  were  hurried  away  to  the 
guillotine.  The  streets  of  Paris  swam  with  the  blood  of  her 
citizens.  Whole  hecatombs  of  victims,  men,  women,  and 

*  Note  4,  Canto  I,  stanza  38.          t  T^ote  5,  stanza  39.  %  Note  6,  stanza  40. 

§  Note  7,  ibid. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  23 

even  children,  were  slaughtered  by  the  executioner,  under 
the  very  shadow  of  the  statue  of  Liberty,  which  Frenchmen 
boasted  to  worship.  The  most  high-handed  and  bloody 
deeds  of  tyranny  were  enacted  in  the  name  of  Liberty. 
Excesses  of  the  most  horrid  kind  were  perpetrated.  An 
unchaste  woman,  of  rare  beauty  and  symmetry  of  form,  was 
brought  naked  before  the  assembly,  and  proclaimed  the 
Goddess  of  Reason,  and  thence  carried  on  the  shoulders  of 
some  Jacobins  to  the  Church  of  Notre  Dame,  she  was  placed 
in  the  same  condition  upon  the  altar,  where  she  was  wor 
shiped  by  the  crowd  which  filled  the  cathedral.  The  cor 
ruption  of  morals-  was  general  and  deplorable.  It  spread 
over  the  whole  nation.  All  the  cities  and  large  towns  were 
scenes  of  civil  murder,  enacted  in  ways  which  fill  the  mind 
with  horror  to  think  of  them.  No  man  was  safe,  especially 
if  he  had  any  wealth  wrhich  could  be  confiscated  for  the  use 
of  the  fiends  that  ruled  France.  Thus  events  continued  to 
grow  worse,  until  Marat  fell  by  the  dagger  of  Charlotte 
Corday,  for  which  she  was  sent  to  the  guillotine.  The  jeal 
ousy  of  Robespierre  sent  Danton  the  same  way,  a  few 
months  after.  The  former  recreant  fell  soon  after,  before  a 
counter  revolution,  and  the  Reign  of  Terror  ended.  All 
these  terrible  calamities,  and  especially  the  infatuation  which 
seemed  to  fill  the  whole  nation,  are  justly  symbolized  by  a 
noisome  and  grievous  sore  falling  upon  the  men  who  had 
upheld  political  and  religious  despotism,  and  no  one  can  for 
a  moment  doubt  the  effect  they  had  upon  these  powers. 
Under  the  supposition  that  the  contents  of  this  vial  were 
meant  to  symbolize  republicanism,  the  plague  of  despotism, 
poured  out  upon  the  earth,  it  will  be  admitted  that  these 
events  meet  the  conditions.  The  symbols  of  the  text  are 
strikingly  satisfied,  if  not  actually  fulfilled. 

I  do  not  claim  to  be  supported  by  authority  in  this  expo 
sition,  precisely  as  I  have  given  it.  More  generally,  the 
noisome  and  grievous  sore  is  supposed  to  symbolize  French 
atheism,  with  no  endeavor  to  find  a  meaning  for  the  contents 
of  the  vial.  Mr.  Barnes  adopts  the  latter  exposition.  My 
own  view  differs  from  this  only  that  it  makes  the  contents  of 
the  vial  symbolize  republicanism,  while  French  atheism  is 
only  one  among  the  plagues  which  fell  upon  the  nations,  as 


24  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

a  consequence  of  pouring  out  the  first  vial.  But  it  may 
justly  be  considered  a  chief  one,  as  it  was  not  confined  to 
France.  It  broke  out,  with  more  or  less  malignancy,  over 
the  whole  world ;  and  it  has  been  one  of  the  great  hin 
drances  to  the  progress  and  triumph  of  republican  insti 
tutions  ;  for  it  must  be  admitted  that  infidelity  and 
republicanism  have  gone  in  company  too  much  for  the 
good  of  the  latter.  But  it  will  not  be  so  when  men  have 
learned  to  distinguish  between  true  and  false  religion — when 
the  church  becomes  entirely  divorced  from  her  paramour, 
the  political  power. 

I  have  been  studying  the  prophetic  symbols  in  this  part  of 
the  Word  of  God  for  some  months  past ;  and,  should  the 
unfolding  of  the  great  schemes  of  Providence  prove  that  the 
above  exposition  is  correct,  I  should  not  be  disappointed,  for 
I  have  much  faith  in  its  correctness.  While,  on  the  other 
hand,  should  the  true  exposition  be  found  in  something 
entirely  different,  it  would  equally  confirm  my  faith  in  the 
prophecy  as  from  God,  for  I  am  not  so  presumptious  as  to 
suppose  that  it  must  be  this  or  nothing. 

Admitting  the  reasonableness  of  the  supposition  that  we 
have  found  the  fulfillment  of  the  symbols  of  the  text,  you 
will,  I  trust,  allow  me  a  single  reflection.  The  thought,  that 
these  old  prophecies  are  being  fulfilled  in  our  day,  is 
intensely  interesting  and  startling.  More  than  eighteen 
hundred  years  ago,  an  old  exile  sat  among  the  rocks  of 
Patmos,  a  barren  island  in  the  eastern  Mediterranean  Sea. 
He  had  been  driven  there,  in  his  old  age,  by  persecution ; 
but,  in  the  scheme  of  Providence,  he  was  to  receive,  amid 
those  solitudes,  the  most  interesting  book  of  the  whole  Bible, 
if  we  except  the  history  of  Jesus.  Then  the  book  of  the 
future  history  of  the  Church  was  opened  by  the  Lamb,  and 
disclosed  to  the  old  prophet,  by  symbols  always  striking, 
sometimes  sweet  and  beautiful,  sometimes  terrific  in  their 
significance,  and  sometimes  sublime  and  awful  in  their  por 
trayal.  With  his  spiritual  vision  sharpened,  he  gazes  down 
the  shadowy  vista  of  the  future.  These  striking  and  thrill 
ing  symbols  rise  upon  his  view.  Seal  after  seal  of  the  great 
book  is  opened,  and  the  wondrous  events  are  passed  before 
him.  When  the  seventh  seal  is  opened,  the  seven  trumpeters 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  25 

prepare  to  sound.  Under  their  successive  blasts,  he  sees 
innumerable  men  and  horses  rushing  to  battle ;  the  bottom 
less  pit  opened,  evil  powers,  like  locusts,  swarming  over  the 
world,  and  desolating  it;  hears  earthquakes  shaking  conti 
nents  ,  sees  the  terrified  mountains  and  islands  flying  away ; 
heaven  opened — angelic  contending  with  evil  powers,  sym 
bolized  by  fearful  monsters — and  hears  the  loud  heavenly 
anthems  of  triumph  rolling  up,  like  the  voice  of  many 
waters,  from  that  vast  multitude  whose  number  is  ten  thou 
sand  times  ten  thousand  and  thousands  of  thousands.  Then, 
when  the  seventh  angel  sounds,  the  seven  angels  having  the 
seven  last  plagues  come  forth  from  the  temple,  prepared  for 
their  fearful  tasks.  Seventeen  hundred  years  have  passed. 
The  darkness  is  deep,  but  the  dawn  approaches.  The  first 
angel  goes  and  pours  out  his  vial  upon  the  earth.  A  plague 
and  sore  follows.  The  subtle  influence  shakes  the  thrones  of 
kings  and  ecclesiastical  hierarchies,  and  they  totter  to  their 
fall.  We  look  on  with  awe  and  wonder  as  we  see  these  events 
transpiring  almost  in  our  own  day  and  before  our  eyes.  We 
see  God  in  history.  He  has  taught  us  to  expect  these  terri 
ble  wars  and  commotions,  and  their  coming  meets  our  expec 
tation,  and  assures  our  faith  in  His  Word. 

It  is  the  conviction  of  your  speaker,  that  in  the  millen 
nium,  for  which  the  events  of  this  period  are  preparing  the 
way,  republican  institutions  will  prevail.  Hence,  any  ques- 
t'on  affecting  the  possibility  of  such  institutions,  is  properly 
discussed  here.  It  is  sometimes  charged  upon  republics 
that  they  are  inherently  aggressive,  and  that  they  can  only 
flourish  by  nurturing  and  giving  activity  to  the  military  spirit, 
as  if  it  must  necessarily  co-exist  with  them.  Hence,  no  such 
form  of  government  can  exist  when  "  wars  shall  cease  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth."  Such,  it  is  contended,  was  the  his 
tory  of  the  Roman  Republic ;  such,  the  democracies  of 
Greece  ;  such,  the  French  Republic.  The  fallacy  consists  in 
assuming  that  the  aggressive  spirit  which  confessedly  distin 
guished  the  peoples  alluded  to,  is  an  offspring  of  their  form 
of  government,  and  not  of  something  else.  We  could  make 
a  stronger  argument  against  monarchism,  in  the  same  way, 
but  we  do  not  propose  to  do  it,  as  both  arguments  would  be 
fallacious.  There  is  no  such  connection.  The  Roman 


26  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

Republic  and  Grecian  democracies  existed  in  ages  when  the 
aggressive  spirit  was  universal  among  all  nations,  and  a 
pacific  spirit,  in  connection  with  power  to  make  aggression, 
was  scarcely  known.  That  republican  Rome,  or  democratic 
Greece,  should  partake  of  the  same  spirit,  is  nothing  strange. 
Indeed,  the  Empire  of  Rome  was  even  more  aggressive 
than  the  Republic.  It  can  be  shown  that  so  far  from  a 
military  spirit  being  necessary  to  their  existence,  it  is  that 
which  usually  destroys  republics.  It  was  that  which  sub 
verted  the  Roman  Republic.  It  was  that  which  destroyed 
the  French  Republic.*  The  great  mistake  of  France  was 
her  emulation  of  those  old,  warlike  nations,  leading  her  to 
suppose  that  her  mission  was  to  conquer  the  world  by  arms. 
Her  danger  would  have  been  great  enough  if  she  had  only 
used  her  military  power  to  repel  aggression.  But  in  throw 
ing  down  the  gauntlet  to  the  nations  of  Europe,  to  meet  her 
on  the  field  of  Mars,  she  assured  her  own  destruction.  We 
may  be  safe  in  saying  that  as  long  as  our  own  nation  adheres 
to  the  pacific  policy  recommended  by  her  founders,  she  will 
be  safe.  Existing  thus  for  almost  a  hundred  years,  she  fur 
nishes  an  unanswerable  refutation  of  the  charge  thus  made 
against  republican  institutions. 

*  Note  8,  Canto  I,  stanza  41. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 


ENGLAND  AND  ITALY  IN  PROPHECY. 

Ere  the  first  woe  is  spent,  another  comes. — CANTO  I,  STANZA  44. 

And  the  second  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  sea,  and  it  became 
as  the  blood  of  dead  men ;  and  every  living  thing  died  in  the  sea. 

And  the  third  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  rivers  and  fountains  of 
waters :  and  they  became  blood. 

And  I  heard  the  angel  of  the  waters  say,  Thou  art  righteous,  O  Lord, 
which  art,  and  wast,  and  shalt  be,  because  thou  hast  judged  thus. 

For  they  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets,  and  thou  hast 
given  them  blood  to  drink  ;  for  they  are  worthy. 

And  I  heard  another  out  of  the  altar  say,  Even  so,  Lord  God  Almighty, 
true  and  righteous  are  thy  judgments. — REV.  xvi.  3-7. 

IF  our  interpretation  of  the  symbolism  of  the  first  vial  be 
received,  of  course,  we  must  look  for  the  fulfillment  of  the 
second  and  third  in  events  closely  connected  and  nearly 
contemporaneous. 

We  should  look  for  that  of  the  second  in  events  mainly 
transpiring  upon  the  sea — some  terrible  naval  war,  which 
would  result  disastrously  to  the  supporters  of  political  and 
ecclesiastical  despotism.  And  as  France  and  Spain  had  been 
the  chief  naval  powers  which  had,  hitherto,  supported  the 
despotism  of  Rome,  we  should  naturally  expect  that  the  dis 
asters  would  fall  mainly  on  them.  While,  on  the  other  hand, 
we  should  expect  that  success,  in  any  such  struggle,  would 
strengthen  the  hands  of  them  who  fought  most  in  the  interest 
of  liberty.  In  studying  the  history  of  those  times,  we  find, 
such  were  the  complications  of  affairs,  that  England — though 
a  .monarchy,  and  much  of  the  time  fighting  against  the 
French  Republic,  and  a  declared  enemy  of  republican  insti 
tutions — was  contending  mainly  for  the  rights  of  man.  The 
sympathies  of  a  disinterested  lover  of  his  race,  therefore, 
naturally  incline  toward  her.  The  naval  war  which  she 


28  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

waged,  about  this  time,  was  one  of  the  most  fearful,  if  not 
the  most  fearful,  of  history.  It  lasted  twenty  years.  Her 
chief  opponents  were  France  and  Spain,  though  Holland, 
Denmark,  Prussia,  Russia  and  Sweden  were,  at  different 
times,  arrayed  against  her. 

We  purpose  to  show  that,  supposing  it  was  the  design 
of  revelation  to  foretell,  by  a  fitting  symbolism,  the  events 
of  this  terrible  period,  a  vial  of  wrath  poured  oufe  upon 
the  ocean,  by  an  angel  of  vengeance,  taken  in  connection 
with  other  fearful  symbols  disclosing  contemporaneous 
events,  would  be  a  most  striking  and  appropriate  method 
of  doing  it.  If  John's  prophetic  vision  should  catch, 
through  the  vista  of  distant  ages,  the  gloom,  the  fires,  the 
thundergust  and  the  flowing  blood  of  naval  warfare,*  such 
as  this  period  discloses,  a  mighty  angel — rushing  over  the 
sea  on  the  wings  of  the  storm,  throwing  into  it  some  potent 
substance,  which  raises  the  winds,  the  waves,  and  the  thun 
ders,  and  tinges  its  waters  with  the  blood  of  living  crea 
tures,  slain  in  the  commotion — would,  best  of  anything,  carry 
to  the  mind  an  adequate  image.  Seeing  scores  of  great 
naval  battles,  as  it  were,  condensed  into  one  view,  in  the 
glass  of  prophecy,  what  better  conclusion  could  be  formed  of 
it  than  that  it  was  the  result  of  some  tremendous  outpouring 
of  wrath  upon  an  offending  world  ? 

We  may  observe  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that 
John  meant  to  say  that  all  the  sea  became  as  the  blood  of 
dead  men.  If  that  portion  of  it  which  was  affected  by  the 
vial,  assumed  such  an  appearance,  it  would  justify  his  lan 
guage.  The  expression,  "  Every  living  soul  died  in  the  sea," 
is  designed  to  convey  to  the  mind  an  image  of  the  dreadful 
destruction  of  life  in  this  war.  It  commenced  between  Eng 
land  and  France,  at  Toulon,  where  a  large  French  fleet  was 
destroyed  by  the  English,  soon  after  the  French  Republic 
had  risen  to  power.  Then  followed  the  great  battle  of 
Ushant,  under  Admiral  Howe,  in  which  the  French  were 
completely  routed.  The  West  Indies  were,  one  by  one, 
wrenched  from  the  hands  of  France,  by  successful  naval 
expeditions.  The  capture  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  from 
the  Dutch,  added  South  Africa  to  the  British  Empire,  and 

*  Note  10,  Canto  I,  stanza  45. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  29 

increased  her  resources  for  the  further  struggle  that  awaited 
her,  really,  as  the  event  has  proved,  for  the  destruction  of 
Papal  domination,  ostensibly,  in  part,  for  self-defense,  and  for 
the  promotion  of  liberty,  but  largely — it  must  be  admitted — 
for  self-aggrandizement.  The  French  and  Dutch  fleet  sent 
to  retake  the  Cape,  soon  after  this,  were  also  entirely  routed. 
The  tremendous  battle  off  Cape  St.  Vincent,  was  a  disastrous 
and  crushing  defeat  of  the  naval  powers  of  France  and 
Spain.  Then,  soon  after  this,  the  great  battle  of  Camper- 
down  added  its  blaze  and  rack  to  the  smoke  and  conflagra 
tion  which  had  but  just  lifted  from  the  sea;  all  adding  nerve 
and  sinew  to  the  already  gigantic  power  of  England,  whom 
invisible  hands  were  preparing  for  still  mightier  struggles. 
Napoleon  had  now  begun  his  career,  as  one  of  the  generals 
of  the  Republic.  His  known  ambition  and  increasing  pop 
ularity  with  the  armies  of  the  Republic  made  the  chamber 
of  deputies  afraid  of  him,  and  they  were  glad  to  assent  to 
his  desire  to  go  on  an  expedition  to  Egypt,  that  they  might 
be  rid  of  his  influence  at  home.  He  went,  revolving  vast 
schemes  of  ambition  in  his  mind.  The  career  of  Alexander 
was  before  him.  Perhaps  he  might  pursue  the  same  victo 
rious  path  to  the  Indies,  erect  another  great  oriental  empire, 
and  thwart  the  English  there.  With  vast  naval  and  land 
forces,  he  landed  at  Aboukir,  in  Egypt.  But  scarcely  were 
the  latter  disembarked  and  well  under  way,  inland,  when  the 
British  fleet,  under  Nelson,  hove  in  sight.  The  cloud  burst 
in  thunder  and  hail  upon  the  fated  French,*  and  in  the 
awful  battle  which  followed — the  battle  of  the  Nile — their 
noble  fleet  became  a  complete  wreck,  or  captive  to  the  Eng 
lish — the  tricolor  of  the  Republic  torn  down,  and  the  flag  of 
England  floating  at  the  mast-head  of  the  men-of-war  that 
had  escaped  the  wreck  of  battle.  Thousands  went  down 
in  the  terrible  battle,  and  the  water  "  became  as  the  blood  of 
dead  men,"  for  miles  around.f  It  was  a  fatal  blow  to  Napo 
leon's  career  in  the  East,  crippling  his  resources,  and  inter 
fering  with  all  his  future  plans.  So,  after  a  brilliant,  but,  on 
the  whole,  unsuccessful  campaign,  he  returned  home  to  fig 
ure  still  more  largely  in  those  terrible  events  foreshown  by 

*  Note  n,  Canto  I,  stanza  45.  t  Note  12,  Canto  I,  stanza  46. 


30  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

other  prophetic  symbols.  But  the  naval  wars  continued. 
The  northern  nations,  Russia,  Prussia,  Denmark  and  Swe 
den,  became  jealous  of  England's  increasing  power.  They 
leagued  against  her  to  cripple  it.  The  awful  battle  of 
Copenhagen  soon  after  followed,  again  a  great  success  to 
English  arms.  This  gave  her  power  and  prestige  for  striking 
a  last  terrible  and  crushing  blow  upon  the  Papal  powers  of 
France  and  Spain.  This  occurred  soon  after,  at  the  terrific 
naval  battle  off  Cape  Trafalgar,  when  their  great  navies 
(embracing  all  their  marine  forces)  were  wrecked,  and  Eng 
land  stood  the  acknowledged  mistress  of  the  world,  on  the 
sea,  though  at  the  price  of  the  death  of  her  gallant  Nelson.* 
Elliott,  as  quoted  by  Barnes,  remarks,  with  regard  to  these 
battles:  "Altogether,  in  this  naval  war,  from  its  begin 
ning  in  1793,  to  its  end 'in  1815,  there  were  destroyed  near 
two  hundred  ships  of  the  line,  three  hundred  to  four  hun 
dred  frigates,  and  an  almost  incalculable  number  of  smaller 
vessels  of  war  and  ships  of  commerce.  The  whole  history 
of  the  world  does  not  present  such  a  period  of  naval  war, 
destruction,  and  blood-shed."  The  reader  can  readily 
see  the  bearing  they  had  upon  the  Papacy. f  No  Papal 
power  has  ever  since  had  any  commanding  influence 
upon  the  ocean ; — a  circumstance  which  has  proved  fatal  to 
the  ambitious  designs  of  Rome,  as  without  the  supremacy  of 
the  sea  she  can  never  gain  what  she  has  evidently  hoped  to 
do — the  supremacy  of  the  world.  As  things  now  look,  the 
prospect  of  any  maritime  power  ever  coming  to  the  succor 
of  the  fallen  Pope  is  exceedingly  dubious. 

Thus  the  events  foreshadowed  in  the  symbolism  of  the 
second  vial  put  a.  decisive  and  irrevocable  check  upon  the 
progress  of  Rome ;  yea,  I  may  say,  with  other  things,  made 
her  downfall,  as  a  political  power,  inevitable. 

But  almost  contemporaneous  with  the  outpouring  of  the 
second  vial,  using  John's  language,^  "  The  third  angel 
poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  rivers  and  fountains  and 
they  became  blood."  Then  comes  the  response  of  the  two 
angels.  This  evidently  foreshadows  great  calamities  upon  the 
power  in  question,  in  a  country  where  her  crimes  against  the 

*  Note  13,  Canto  I,  stanza  47.  t  Note  14,  Canto  I,  stanza  47. 

%  Note  15,  Canto  I,  stanza  48. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  3! 

world  had  been  more  especially  atrocious.  Do  we  find  a 
country  meeting  the  demands  of  this  symbolism?  Northern 
Italy*  is  composed  chiefly  of  the  basin  of  the  Po  and  its 
tributaries.  If  you  look  at  the  map,  you  will  not  fail  to  note 
how  numerous  are  the  rivers  and  small  streams  which  rise  in 
the  Appenines,  on  the  south,  and  the  Alps,  on  the  west  and 
north,  forming  the  Po,  the  Adige,  and  other  smaller  streams 
which  empty  into  the  Adriatic  sea.  You  cannot  find  a 
country  which  could  be  more  properly  called  a  land  of  rivers 
and  fountains.  Lakes  Garda,  Como,  Maggiore,  and  other 
smaller  bodies  of  water  in  the  mountains,  supplied  by  the 
melting  of  snows  which  rest  perpetually  upon  those  lofty 
peaks,  give  rise  to  beautiful  streams  which  flow,  clear  and 
perennial,  through  the  vales  of  Piedmont  and  Lombardy, 
and  make  them  the  most  delightful  places  on  earth.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  it  was  along  the  banks  of  the  Po  where 
Pagan  Rome  heaped  up  some  of  her  greatest  holocausts  of 
the  martyrs  of  Jesus,  on  the  .shrines  of  her  Pagan  deities.  It 
was  upon  these  same  rivers  and  fountains  that  the  burning 
star,  called  Wormwood,  fell,  when  the  third  angel  sounded, 
where  the  Pagan  oppressors  of  the  Church  sunk  beneath  the 
tempest  which  Jehovah  of  hosts  rolled  down  upon  them  from 
the  northern  wilds.  It  was  here  where,  during  the  long, 
dark  night  of  Papal  supremacy,  the  faithful  churches  of  the 
Albigenses  and  the  Waldenses  lived  and  suffered.  The  cru 
elties  which  Papal  Rome  inflicted  upon  these  people  have 
scarcely  a  parallel  in  all  the  long,  dark  history  of  martyr- 
ology.  Even  Smithfield  pales  before  the  horrors  of  the 
sunny  vales  of  Piedmont.  Rome  was  determined  to  have 
these  regions  to  herself,  even  at  the  price  of  extermination 
of  their  population.  Those  rivers  and  fountains  had  been 
repeatedly  stained  with  their  blood.  But  the  time  of  reck 
oning  came,  when  those  valleys  became  the  theatre  of  some 
of  Napoleon's  fiercest  campaigns.  They  are  described  as 
having  been  unnecessarily  cruel  and  bloody,  and  his  exac 
tions  of  the  conquered  people  unwarrantably  harsh,  under 
the  sternest  codes  of  military  law.  But  the  march  of  the 
great  conqueror  over  that  land  was  the  pouring  out  of  the 

*  Note  16,  Canto  I,  stanza  50. 


32  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

wrath  of  God  upon  the  supporters  of  Rome,  and  the  calami 
ties  must  have  been  severe,  to  justify  the  symbolism  of  the 
third  vial.  (See  Poem,  Canto  I,  stanzas  49-62.) 

It  must  go  for  something  to  the  student  of  prophecy,  that 
all  these  fearful  campaigns  in  Piedmont  and  Lombardy, 
hastened  the  fall  of  the  declining  political  power  of  the 
Pope.  Nopoleon's  rude  assaults  destroyed  his  prestige 
among  the  nations,  and  crippled  his  government,  and  that  of 
Austria,  one  of  his  chief  supporters.  You  will  also  remem 
ber  that  the  battles  of  Magenta  and  Solferino  tinged  these 
same  rivers  and  fountains  with  blood,  and  hastened  still  fur 
ther  the  downfall  of  ecclesiastical  despotism.  This  last  war 
wrested  a  large  part  of  the  States  of  the  Church  from  Rome, 
established  the  Kingdom  of  Sardinia,  and  laid  the  founda 
tions  of  that  United  Italy  which  we  behold  to-day.  Could 
any  power,  short  of  the  ALMIGHTY'S,  have  caused  that  these 
awful  retributions  should  fall  on  Rome,  in  the  very  land 
where  she  had  shed  so  much  martyr  blood  ?  Look  at  the 
awful  record  of  those  Italian  campaigns,  and  see  how  appro 
priate  is  the  symbolism.  Monte  Notte,  Milessimo,  Diego, 
Lodi,  Milan,  Mantua,  Castigleone,  Caldero,  Arcole,  a  second 
Mantua,  the  fall  of  Venice,  the  Senio,  Faenza,  Ancona, 
Loretto,  Rome,  Trebbia,  Marengo,  Magenta,  and  Solferino. 
Think  of  all  these  battles  on  a  territory  not  larger  than  the 
State  of  Illinois,  and  most  of  them  in  the  short  space  of  five 
years,  and  tell  me  if  you  can  find  a  more  fitting  prophetic 
symbol  than  a  vial  of  wrath  poured  out  upon  the  rivers  and 
fountains,  and  changing  them  to  blood.  See  how  the  mili 
tary  powers  which  supported  Rome  were  crippled,  and  mark 
how  the  leaven  of  republicanism,  scattered  in  Italy  by  the 
armies  of  the  French  Republic,  has  spread  and  borne  fruit, 
until  Italy  is  united  in  a  constitutional  monarchy,  with  Rome 
for  its  capital,  and  religious  liberty  for  its  motto,  while  the 
temporal  power  of  the  Pope  is  hopelessly  gone,  and  see  if 
you  are  able  to  doubt  that  this  third  vial  foreshadows  these 
events,  and  was  destined  to  aid  in  the  destruction  of  the 
Papal  domination. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  33 


IV. 

NAPOLEON  BONAPARTE  IN  PROPHECY. 

Yet  over  the  sun  a  dread  angel  arises. — NOTE  17,  CANTO  I,  STANZA  64. 

And  the  fourth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  sun  ;  and  power  was 
given  him  to  scorch  men  with  fire. 

And  men  were  scorched  with  great  heat,  and  blasphemed  the  name  of 
God,  which  hath  power  over  these  plagues  :  and  they  repented  not  to  give 
him  glory. — REV.  xvi.  8-9. 

THE  use  of  this  symbolism  would  seem  to  be  suggested  by 
a  quite  popular  belief,  in  the  days  of  John,  that  the  sun, 
moon  and  stars  had  a  great  influence  upon  the  destiny  of 
nations.  Particular  conjunctions  and  occultations  of  the 
planets,  eclipses  of  the  sun  and  moon,  and  especially  the 
appearance  of  comets,  were  supposed  to  foreshadow  some 
great  national  event — generally  some  calamity.  Some  dread 
angel  of  wrath,  in  the  form  of  a  blazing  comet,  casting  its 
shadow  across  the  sun,  and  eclipsing  its  splendors,  while,  at 
the  same  time,  it  might  impart  some  of  its  substance  to  the 
sun,  to  increase  its  power  of  combustion,  would  well  lead 
men  to  forebode  some  awful  calamity. 

As  to  the  meaning  of  the  passage,  of  course,  we  are  not  to 
suppose  that  a  literal  vial  was  poured  into  the  sun.  It  is  but 
a  symbol,  forewarning  of  fearful  calamities.  We  remark, 

1.  There  must  be  something  in  the  calamities  when  they 
come,  to  justify  the   use  of  such  a  startling  symbolism — in 
other  words,  the  effect  must  be  somewhat  like  what  might  be 
supposed  if  a  great  angel  should  pour  some  combustible  into 
the  sun,  and  by  the  increased  combustion,  so  intensify   its 
heat  that  it  would  scorch  men. 

2.  These  calamities  must  be  more  widespread  and  gen 
eral  than  those  foreshadowed  by  the  former  vials.     There  is 
no  inconsistency  in  limiting  the  application  of  the  third  vial 


34  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

to  Northern  Italy.  But,  as  the  influence  of  the  sun  is  uni 
versal,  we  should  expect  this  symbolism  would  have  a  much 
broader  application,  and  that  the  calamities  would  be  much 
more  widespread. 

3.  Scorching  men  with  fire  is  one  of  the  strongest  sym 
bols  of  suffering  which   we  can  find  in  the  Word  of  God. 
We  should  therefore,  expect  that  these  calamities,  whether 
similar,  or  not,  to   anything   which    had    already    occurred, 
would  be  far  severer. 

4.  We   should  not  expect  that  the  principal  actors  and 
sufferers  would  be  made  any  better  by  them.     John  says, 
"  they  blasphemed  the  name  of  God  which  hath  the  power 
of  these  plagues,  and  they  repented  not  to  give  him  glory." 

5.  Comparing  this  with  the   third  vial,  we   should   con 
clude  that,  while  the  main  object  of  these  calamities  was  to 
weaken  despotism,  they  would  not  fall  so  directly  upon  the 
supporters  of  ecclesiastical  prerogative.      Blood  was   given 
them  to  drink  who  had  slain  God's  saints  and  prophets,  by 
having  their  rivers  and  fountains  filled  with  the  blood  of  the 
slain.     But  in  these  calamities,  men  are  scorched.     The  more 
general  term  is  used  to  indicate  a  more  general  application. 

I  now  invite  your  attention  to  the  question,  "  Have  we 
anything  in  history  which  will  answer  the  conditions  of  the 
above  symbolism  ?  "  To  show  that  we  have,  will  be  my  next 
object.  I  do  not  say,  however,  that  I  cannot  be  mistaken. 
I  follow  the  suggestions  of  our  ablest  commentators,  having 
t>een  confirmed  in  them  by  examinations  of  my  own.  I  will 
seek  to  enforce  them,  also,  with  arguments  of  my  own.  I 
will  say,  also,  that  I  have  very  great  confidence  that  we  have 
found  here  the  fulfillment  of  this  prophetic  symbolism. 

We  may  make  the  preliminary  remark,  that  in  searching 
for  events  that  meet  the  demands  of  this  symbolism,  we 
should  expect  to  find  them  in  close  connection  with  the 
events  predicted  in  the  third  vial.  Indeed,  we  need  not  be 
surprised  if  we  find  the  fourth  vial  was  poured  out  before 
tl\e  third,  and  even  the  second  and  first  had  spent  themselves 
upon  the  earth.  That  the  events  predicted  in  former  vials 
may,  as  it  were,  flow  into,  and  be  contemporaneous  with,  the 
events  of  this.  For  instance,  if  we  find  the  sore  of  the  first 
still  upon  men,  and  some  of  the  battles  on  the  sea  and  in  Italy 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  35 

occurring  after  the  train  of  events  here  predicted,  has  opened, 
we  need  not  consider  it  as  causing  any  confusion,  or  any 
objection  to  our  interpretation.  The  object  of  the  seven  vials 
was  not  so  much  to  trace  distinctively  marked  consecutive 
events  in  the  order  here  introduced,  as  to  show  how  differ 
ent  opposing  powers,  and  the  same  powers  in  different  locali 
ties  and  under  different  circumstances,  are  to  be  put  out  of 
the  way.  Even  if  the  vials  should  not  follow  each  other 
exactly  as  they  are  named  chronologically,  it  would  not  par 
ticularly  interfere  with  a  clearly  marked  fulfillment  in  other 
respects ;  though  we  must  expect  that  the  general  chronolog 
ical  order  must  be  the  same. 

On  the  supposition,  then,  that  our  interpretation  of  the 
third  vial  is  correct,  we  shall,  as  a  fulfillment  of  this,  look  for 
wars  more  widespread,  more  destructive,  more  terrible,  than 
any  we  have  yet  contemplated.  We  find  them  in  the  wars 
of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,*  in  other  portions  of  the  world. 
There  is  no  more  terrible  period  in  the  whole  history  of  the 
civilized  world,  than  that  marked  by  Napoleon's  accession  to 
the  Chief  Consulship,  in  1799,  beginning  with  the  battles  of 
Marengo  and  Hohenlinden,  in  1800,  and  ending  on  the  field 
of  Waterloo,  in  June,  1815.  Though  the  most  Titanic 
powers  were  not  unchained,  its  fiercest  blaze  did  not  scorch 
men,  until,  after  the  coup  d'etat,  the  Emperor  met  the  com 
bined  powers  of  Europe,  first  at  Ulm,  and  then  at  Auster- 
litz,  in  1804. 

i.  Let  us  then  see  if  we  can  find  anything  in  these  wars 
which  meets  the  first  demand  of  this  symbolism.  Is  there 
any  resemblance  between  scorching  men  in  the  intensified 
blaze  of  the  sun,f  and,  in  the  blaze  of  battle,  as  presented  to 
the  world  during  the  existence  of  the  French  Empire  ?  We 
are  to  remember  that  John  knew  nothing  about  the  use  of 
gunpowder  in  modern  warfare.  God  did  not  see  fit  to 
reveal,  beforehand,  any  of  the  great  discoveries  and  inven 
tions  of  science  and  art.  His  sole  purpose  seems  to  have 
been  to  disclose  to  men  his  great  scheme  of  redemption, 
leaving  it  for  the  progress  of  human  genius  to  discover  and 
utilize  the  great  and  wondrous  secrets  of  nature.  But  he 

*  Note  18,  Canto  I,  stanza  65.  t  See  Poem,  Canto  I,  stanzas  65-80. 


36  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

might  disclose  to  his  prophets,  by  appropriate  symbols,  some 
of  the  effects  of  great  scientific  inventions,  long  before  they 
were  brought  to  light.  Such,  we  contend,  he  has  done  in 
this  case.  For,  supposing  John,  without  the  knowledge  in 
question,  should  have  had  his  prophetic  vision  so  sharpened 
that  he  could  have  looked  down  through  the  vista  of  coming 
ages,  and  have  seen  such  a  battle,  for  instance,  as  Marengo 
or  Hohenlinden,  seeing  the  blaze  of  cannon  and  the  flash  of 
musketry, 

"  Where  the  red  fires  of  battle  glowed," 

with  men  fighting  and  falling  amid  the  glare,  what  better 
idea  could  he  have  formed  of  it,  than  that  the  fire-demon 
had  been  let  loose  among  men,  and  was  slaying  them  by  the 
thousand  ?  What  if  his  ear  could  have  caught  the  dreadful 
clamor  of  battle,  and  the  blasphemies  of  the  infuriated  sol 
diery  rising  above  the  groans  of  the  dying,  would  it  not  have 
added  force  to  the  impression  thus  made  ?  Supposing  a 
hundred  battles,  on  as  many  different  fields,  some  of  them 
five  times  as  destructive  as  either  of  these,  all  occurring 
within  the  short  space  of  eleven  or  twelve  years,  could  have 
been  condensed  into  a  single  view,  and  to  it  should  be  added 
the  glare  of  the  conflagration  of  towns  and  cities,  which  so 
frightfully  attended  some  of  Napoleon's  wars,  what  a  fear 
fully  thrilling  picture  would  have  been  in  his  mind  !  Would 
it  not  have  been  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world  for  him 
to  compare  the  terrible  commotion,  glare,  blaze,  rack  and 
destruction,  to  some  supermundane  agent — even  to  some 
potent  influence  flowing  down  from  the  sun,  the  source  of 
heat,  and  scorching  the  world  in  its  blaze  ?  Would  not  the 
resemblance  be  sufficiently  striking  to  warrant  the  use  of  the 
symbolism  of  our  text  ?  We  are  sure  that  it  would  be,  and  it 
will  appear  even  more  obvious  as  we  proceed  with  our  dis 
cussion. 

2.  Our  second  remark  was,  that  the  calamities  should  be 
general,  not  limited,  as  in  the  third  vial,  to  a  comparatively 
small  territory.  As  the  sun  affects  the  whole  world,  they 
ought  to,  or,  at  least,  a  very  large  proportion  of  it.  So  the 
work  and  influence  of  Napoleon  did  affect  the  whole  civil- 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  37 

ized  world,  and  even  further  than  this.  Many  half  civilized 
nations  were  scorched  in  the  blaze  of  his  genius.  There 
was  not  a  nation  in  Europe  that  did  not  feel  the  weight  of 
his  arms,  and  but  one  whose  plains  and  mountains  were  not 
shaken  by  the  tramp  of  his  invading  hosts.  His  genius  dis 
played  the  imperial  standards  from  the  ramparts  of  Lisbon 
and  Madrid,  from  the  grim  heights  of  Smolensko,  and  from 
the  magnificent  Kremlin  of  Moscow,  from  the  towers  of 
Vienna  and  Berlin,  on  the  defenses  of  Copenhagen  and 
Stockholm,  and  amid  the  Alp-bound  vales  of  Switzerland. 
And  he  did  not  scorn  to  flesh  the  blades  of  the  imperial 
legions  on  the  half-naked  barbarians  of  San  Domingo. 
England,  at  one  time,  dreaded  the  flash  of  his  merciless 
sword  over  her  territory,  leading  on  his  invading  hosts,  more 
than  any  other  conceivable  calamity.  Even  our  own  country 
was  not  wholly  exempt  from  fear,  lest,  having  broken  down 
all  the  barriers  to  his  ambition  in  the  old  world,  the  greedy 
conqueror  should  attempt  to  plant  the  imperial  standards 
in  the  new.  A  wider  influence  was  never  attained  by  one 
man,  nor  a  wider  waste  and  desolation  under  one  leader. 
So  this  demand  of  the  symbolism  of  the  fourth  vial  is  sat 
isfied  by  the  events  we  are  considering. 

3.  Our  third  remark  was  to  the  effect  that  scorching  men 
in  the  fire  would  indicate  unusual  severity  in  the  calamities 
predicted.  We  should  expect  that  the  suffering  and  destruc 
tion  of  life  and  property  would  be  unusually  severe.  This 
was  the  case.  To  get  an  adequate  conception  of  this  terri 
ble  drama  in  the  world's  history,  you  must  become  familiar 
with  all  the  awful  battles  of  that  period.  You  must  witness 
the  fearful  onslaught  of  Moreau,  in  the  woods  of  Hohen- 
linden,  when,  before  the  battle, 

"  All  bloodless  lay  the  untrodden  snow," 

and  see,  amid  the  gloom  of  a  winter's  storm,  the  smoke  of 
battle,  and  the  blaze  of  firearms, 

"  Where  furious  Frank  and  fiery  Hun 
Shout  in  their  sulphurous  canopy  ; " 

and  the  legions  of  Austria  shattered  in  the  fray,  amid  fear 
ful  slaughter,  and  the  power  of  the  chief  consul  extended. 


38  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

You  must  see  the  imperial  armies  of  Austria  surrounded  and 
captured  at  Ulm,  and,  soon  after,  behold  the  victorious  Cor- 
sican  on  the  heights  of  Austerlitz,*  directing  the  most  bril 
liant  battle  of  his  extraordinary  career.  There  three  of  the 
greatest  armies  of  Europe,  each  led  by  an  emperor,  (viz. :  of 
France,  Russia  and  Austria,)  contended  for  the  supremacy 
of  Europe.  See  how  the  "  Sun  of  Austerlitz,"  as  Napoleon 
always  afterwards  designated  that  day,  lighted  up  the  fires  of 
a  conflict  hitherto  unparalleled.  Napoleon  won  the  day, 
but  twenty  thousand  men  went  down  in  the  conflict.  As 
one  instance  of  terrible  destruction  of  life,  in  these  wars, 
during  this  battle,  the  eagle  eye  of  the  Emporor  discovered 
two  thousand  fugitives  flying  across  a  frozen  lake,  to  join 
their  friends ;  he  ordered  his  gunners  to  elevate  their  pieces 
and  pour  a  plunging  fire  of  shot  and  shell  on  the  ice;  it  was 
broken  both  by  the  falling  missies  and  the  explosion  of  shells 
beneath  it,  and  the  whole  flying  multitude  perished. 

"  Amidst  the  shriek  and  gurgling  groan, 
The  water  claims  them  as  its  own." 

You  must  see  the  two  stupendous  battles  which  crushed 
Prussia,  and  ground  her  monarchy  in  the  dust ;  see 

Jena  and  Auerstadt  blaze  next  on  the  sight, 
Twin  furies  of  the  same  tremendous  day.f 

Then,  soon  after  this,  you  must  see  the  French  eagle  face  the 
Russian  bear  at  Pultusk,  Golymin,  Hielsberg,  Lansberg  and 
Liebstadt,  where,  in  all,  the  Russian  armies  retired  before  the 
victorious  French.  Then,  as  the  awful  climax  of  this  winter 
campaign  of  1806-7,  vou  must  see  these  two  gigantic  powers 
grapple  with  each  other,  on  the  thunder-scarred  and  light 
ning-scorched  field  of  Eylau,J  where  a  drawn  battle  left  the 
field  in  the  possession  of  fifty  thousand  dead  and  wounded 
soldiers.  Then  a  few  months  after,  you  should  see  the  army 
of  Napoleon,  reinforced  by  a  vast  array  of  two  hundred  thou 
sand  men,  and,  in  June,  1807,  see  the  two  great  powers  again 
in  a  death  struggle  on  the  terrific  field  of  Friedland,  where 
twenty-five  thousand  men  went  down  in  the  shock  of  arms, 

*  Note  19,  Canto  I,  stanza  65.  t  See  Poem,  Canto  I,  stanza  66. 

%  Note  20,  Canto  I,  stanza  67. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  39 

and  the  Czar  was  forced  to  the  terms  of  the  peace  of  Tilsit. 
Then  you  must  see  the  blaze  of  Napoleon's  wars  beyond 
the  Pyrenees,*  in  the  long  and  bloody  campaigns  of  the  Penin 
sula.  See  the  fires  of  battle  at  the  two  sieges  of  Saragossa,f 
in  which  sixty  thousand  men  are  said  to  have  perished^ — 
Baylen,  Reynosa,  Burgos,  Tuedela,  and  Corunna — where  Sir 
John  Moore  fell,  mortally  wounded  —  Talevera,  Albuera, 
Badajos,  Salamanca,  and  red  Vittoria,  and  other  battles, 
which  set  the  whole  peninsula  ablaze  with  the  fires  of  war.§ 
These  latter  battles  resulted  disastrously  to  the  arms  of 
France,  because  Napoleon  was  called  to  face  more  formid 
able  foes  in  the  North,  in  1809.  Austria!  had  sent  forward 
large  bodies  of  troops  into  the  Tyrol  and  into  Italy,  and 
Napoleon  must  meet  her  again.  So,  in  harmony  with  his 
usual  tactics,  instead  of  meeting  them  on  the  old  fields  of 
his  glory,  where  his  young  laurels  had  blossomed  at  Lodi  and 
Arcole,  he  aims  at  the  heart  of  his  foe,  by  pushing  his 
mighty  armies,  like  an  inundation  of  flood  and  flame,  down 
the  valley  of  the  Danube.  The  armies  of  Austria  go  down 
before  him  at  Abensberg,  Landshut,  Echmuhl,!'  and  other 
minor  points.  As  a  consequence  of  this  series  of  brilliant 
victories,  the  great  conqueror  enters  Vienna  in  triumph,  a 
second  time.  But  the  Austrians  rally  nobly,  to  crush  the 
invaders,  and,  at  Aspern  and  Essling,**  towns  on  the  flanks 
of  the  battle-field,  he  lost  the  first  great  battle  of  his  life. 
He  retreated,  by  his  bridges,  back  to  an  island  in  the  Dan 
ube,  where  he  fortified  himself,  and,  though  in  the  extremest 
peril,  recuperated  and  concentrated  his  armies,  from  the 
other  side  of  the  river  and  from  Vienna,  which  still  remained 
in  his  possession,  and  prepared  for  the  awful  battle  of 
Wagram,f  f  where  he  annihilated  the  Austrian  Empire,  and  put 
fifty  thousand  men  hors  du  combat.  From  this  point  you  must 
see  the  horrors  of  war  increasing.  You  must  follow  Napoleon 
in  his  fearful  campaign  to  Moscow,JJ  in  which,  during  both 
the  advance  and  retreat,  by  battle,  cold  and  hunger,  he  lost 
over  four  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  men,  besides  destroy 
ing  many  thousands  of  his  foes.  Ninety  thousand  fell  in  the 
awful  battle  of  Borodino  alone.  Follow  that  vast  inun- 

*  Note  21,  Canto  I,  stanza  68.  t  Note  22,  Canto  I,  stanza  68. 

\  See  Canto  I,  stanzas  68-70.  §  Stanzas  70-72.  ||  Note  23,  stanza  73. 

If  Note  24,  ibid.  **  Note  25,  ibid.  ft  Note  26,  Canto  I,  stanza  74. 

*t  Note  27,  Canto  I,  st'anza  75. 


40  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

dation,  its  van  wrapped  in  the  flames  of  battle  and  of  burn 
ing  towns  set  on  fire  by  the  Russians  themselves,  to  prevent 
them  from  giving  aid  to  the  enemy,  see  its  climax  capped 
with  the  wide  glare  of  the  flames  of  burning  Moscow,  and 
tell  me,  if  some  malign  power  had  not  been  commissioned 
to  scorch  the  world.  Napoleon  returned,  humbled,  to 
France.  The  sun  of  his  glory  was  waning.  But  it  had  not 
yet  lost  its  power  to  scorch  men.*  He  repented  not  of  his 
great  ambition.  He  levied  another  army  in  France,  vast  in 
numbers,  though  he  had  to  "  rob  the  cradle  and  the  grave  " 
to  do  it.  The  powers  of  Europe  combined  to  crush  him. 
Yet  he  won  brilliant  battles  at  Lutzen,  Bautzen,  Dresden, 
and  others  of  less  importance.  At  length,  at  Leipsic,  more 
than  half  a  million  men  met  in  the  awful  shock  of  battle. 
For  three  terrific  days  the  conflict  raged,  and  one  hundred 
and  ten  thousand  soldiers  fell  in  the  strife.  Napoleon  was 
defeated.  His  retreat  was  fearfully  destructive,  as  he, 
having  been  so  universally  successful,  took  little  precaution 
to  guard  against  disasters  on  a  retreat.  But  many  more 
battles  were  fought,  and  he  still  dazzled  the  world  with  his 
victories.  Nevertheless,  the  allies  closed  in  on  Paris,  and 
March  31,  1814,  Alexander  entered  the  city.  The  little 
island  of  Elba,f  in  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  was  given  him 
in  exchange  for  the  Empire  of  Europe.  He  staid  there  but 
eleven  months,  when  an  uprising  in  France  recalled  him.\ 
The  nation  rallied  around  him  again. §  Louis  XVIII.  left 
his  throne,  without  a  blow  struck  in  its  defense.  Napoleon 
took  possession,  and  the  famous  hundred  days  of  the  restored 
Empire  astonished  the  world.  He  soon  after  met  and 
defeated  Blucher  on  the  field  of  Ligny.  But,  in  a  few  days 
after,||  his  sun,  which  had  scorched  men  so  fearfully,  went 
down  in  the  cloud  and  flame  and  tempest  of  Waterloo.*!" 
His  retreat  was  a  worse  defeat  than  the  battle,  and,  in  a  few 
days  more,  the  allies  were  again  in  possession  of  Paris.  The 
greatest  military  genius  the  world  ever  saw,  was  now  ban 
ished  for  life  to  that  desert  island  in  middle  of  the  Southern 
Atlantic.**  Look  at  the  foregoing  picture,  and  tell  me,  if  the 

*  Note  28,  Canto  I,  stanza  77.  t  Note  29,  Canto  I,  stanza  78. 

%  Note  30,  Canto  I,  stanza  78.  §  Note  31,  Canto  I,  stanza  79. 

II  Note  32,  Canto  I,  stanza  80.  ^  Note  33,  Canto  I,  stanza  81. 
**  See  Poem,  Canto  I,  stanzas  81-83 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  4! 

demand  of  the  symbolism  of  our  text  is  not  fully  met — if 
scorching  men  with  a  great  heat  be  any  too  strong  a  figure. 

4.  Our  fourth  point :  Were  the  nations  on  whom  these 
calamities  fell,  made  any  better  by  them  ?  They  blasphemed 
the  name  of  God,  which  had  Jjie  power  over  these  plagues, 
and  repented  not,  to  give  him  glory.  It  is  a  well  known  fact 
of  history,  that  impiety,  blasphemy  and  atheism  were  never 
more  prevalent  than  in  the  republican,  and  afterwards  impe 
rial,  armies  of  France.  It  was  France  that  "  Resolved,  that 
there  is  no  God,  and  that  death  is  an  eternal  sleep."  Has  she 
repented  of  her  sins  ?  Has  Paris,  the  great  Sodom  of  modern 
times,  repented  of  her  sins  ?  Behold  her  infatuated  people 
abandoning  themselves  to  the  furies  of  a  popular  insurrec 
tion  !  Before  the  thunder-cloud  has  rolled  away,  which  has 
desolated  her  provinces,  dismembered  her  territory,  and  laid 
a  quarter  of  a  million  of  Frenchmen  in  bloody  graves,  or 
left  their  unburied  bones  to  bleach  on  the  field,  those  infatu 
ated  multitudes  are  tearing  each  other.  Read  the  history  of 
Paris  during  the  last  half  century.  Have  her  people  brought 
forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance  ?  Ah !  gay  and  licentious 
city,  the  curse  of  God  is  upon  thee.  Has  the  nation 
repented  of  its  mad  ambition  to  dominate  the  world  ?  Have 
Germany  and  Switzerland  repented  of  their  atheism,  infi 
delity  and  profanity?  Does  a  nation  of  Sabbath  breakers 
afford  good  and  satisfactory  evidence  that  they  have  hum 
bled  themselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God  ?  Has 
Russia  repented  of  her  grasping  ambition  ?  She  affords 
little  evidence.  Have  supporters  of  ecclesiastical  despotism 
repented  of  their  pretensions  and  purposes  ?  Let  the  his 
tory  of  their  recent  councils  and  decrees  answer.  When  the 
Pope  is  exalting  himself  into  the  place  of  God,  and  pro 
claiming  his  own  infallibility,  it  looks  very  little  like  repent 
ance.  When  many  are  revolving  another  crusade  to  enforce 
papal  rule  upon  the  unwilling  necks  of  the  people  of  the 
Papal  States,  it  shows  that  the  supporters  of  ecclesiastical 
despotism  have  not  yet  relinquished  their  insane  idea  of 
propagating  the  religion  of  Jesus  with  the  sword.  They 
repented  not,  to  give  him  glory.  Ah !  no,  ye  despots  of  the 
world,  your  tottering  thrones  and  upheaving  kingdoms  must 
receive  other  vials  of  wrath,  before  ye  repent.  Your  tiaras 


42  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

and  scarlet  robes  must  be  scorched  by  other  fires,  before  ye 
relinquish  your  insane  ambition.  I  shall  speak  further  on 
this  topic  under  the  next  vial. 

5.  My  last  remark  on  the  symbolism  of  the  fourth  vial 
was,  that,  while  these  calamities  would  tend  toward  the 
destruction  of  religious  despotism,  they  would  not  tend  to 
that  exclusively.  They  have  affected  other  interests,  and 
avenged  other  sins.  The  campaigns  in  Italy  were  mainly 
battles  between  Roman  Catholic  powers,  so  that,  whichever 
side  was  beaten,  the  defeat  fell  on  such  a  power.  But  these 
wider  campaigns  smote  Protestant  as  well  as  Catholic  coun 
tries,  while  all  tended,  at  the  same  time,  to  the  destruction 
of  despotism.  But  we  shall  study  this  point,  also,  more  on 
a  future  occasion,  so  we  will  leave  it  here. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  43 


V. 


ROME,  THE  SEAT  OF  THE  BEAST,  IN  PROPH 
ECY;  OR,  DESPOTISM  AS  A  HINDRANCE  TO 
CHRISTIANITY. 

Now  turn,  my  muse,  to  that  old  throne  of  power. — NOTE  33,  CANTO  I,  STANZA  Si. 

And  the  fifth  angel*  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  seat  of  the  beast  ;f 
and  his  kingdqm  was  full  of  darkness :  and  they  gnawed  their  tongues 
for  pain, 

And  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven,  because  of  their  pains  and  their 
sores. — REV.  xvi.  10-11. 

THIS  passage  will  furnish  us  with  a  wide  range  of  topics 
that  are  of  great  interest  to  us  now,  as,  if  our  former  inter 
pretations  are  correct,  we  are  now  seeing  the  effects  of  the 
outpouring  of  the  fifth  vial.  To  present  the  subject  as  its 
.nterest  demands,  I  shall  have  to  spend  several  evenings 
upon  it. 

As  this  vial,  being  poured  out  upon  the  throne  of  the 
beast,  was  to  affect  despotism,  directly,  we  will  now  speak  of 
that,  and  some  of  its  prophetic  symbols,  as  used  in  other 
parts  of  the  book  of  Revelation.  We  will  ascertain  the 
meaning  of  the  phrase,  STT«  rov  -frpovov  rov  dypiov.  We  shall 
show  that  rov  tinpiov  symbolizes  despotism. 

i.  We  remark,  then,  in  the  first  place,  if  we  were  looking 
for  a  symbol  to  shadow  forth  despotism,  in  all  its  forms, 
modes  and  extent,  we  could  not  find  anything  in  nature, 
that  would  meet  the  demand.  We  must  resort  to  some  mon 
ster  of  the  imagination,  to  find  an  adequate  symbol.  What 
principle  has  been  more  influential  and  varied  ?  We  speak 
of  it  as  a  principle,  and  not  as  a  form  of  government.  It  is 
the  disposition  to  tyrannize  over  others — to  hold  their  lives, 
property  and  conscience  in  the  power  of  another.  It  is  the 

*  Note  35,  Canto  I,  stanza  88.  t  Note  36,  Canto  I,  stanza  89. 


44  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

same  principle,  whether  we  find  it  in  the  heart  of  the  abso 
lute  monarch,  or  in  that  of  the  king,  whose  power  is  limited 
by  the  forms  of  a  constitutional  government.  It  is  the  same, 
whether  it  exist  in  the  heart  of  a  single  man,  or  of  a  class  of 
men ;  the  same,  when  it  assumes  control  of  the  conscience, 
as  when  it  restrains  the  body;  the  same  in  church  as  in 
state ;  and  the  same  in  a  republic  as  in  a  monarchy ;  so  far  as 
it  enters  into  and  controls  these  various  forms  of  polity.  We 
find  it  sometimes,  in  its  most  odious  forms,  in  social  life,  and 
in  the  family.  The  history  of  the  world  is  one,  almost  unin 
terrupted  story  of  one  man,  or  class  of  men,  or  one  nation, 
striving  to  conquer  and  enslave  another.  The  greed  of 
power  lies  at  the  bottom.  It  adopts  the  code  of  the  wild 
beast,  viz. :  that  might  makes  right.  Three-quarters  of  all 
the  wars  in  history  have  been  undertaken  at  its  instigation. 
It  was  that  which  launched  so  many  mighty  armies  from  the 
gates  of  old  Babylon,  and  bound  the  chain  around  so  many 
nations,  to  form  the  old  Assyrian  Empire.  The  greed  of 
power  stimulated  the  frightful  wars  of  Alexander  the  Great, 
so  called.  This  was  the  animus  of  Antiochus,  who  figured 
so  largely  in  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Old 
Testament.  It  fired  the  zeal,  falsely  called  patriotism,  of 
the  Carthaginians,  in  their  wars  of  conquest.  It  spread  the 
Roman  power  over  nearly  the  entire  known  world.  It  exer 
cised  the  vast  genius  of  Julius  Caesar.  The  love  of  power 
propagated  the  religion  of  Mahomet.  Fourteen  millions 
perished  at  the  shrine  of  the  ambition  of  a  Jenghiz  Khan. 

So  we  may  conclude  that  it  must  be  a  potent  influence  for 
dreaded  evil,  that  will  spur  men  to  do  such  deeds  as  have 
been  done  against  it.  Look  at  little  Greece,  rolling  back, 
before  the  spears  of  her  valor,  the  vast  tides  of  Xerxes'  army, 
numbering  three  millions  of  souls.  Stand  among  the  Alps 
and  witness  the  brave  Switzers'  unending  struggle  for  the 
maintenance  of  civil  liberty.  Go  down  into  Piedmont,  and 
see  what  the  Albigenses  and  Waldenses  suffered.  See  what 
battles  the  Dutch  fought,  for  liberty,  with  the  armies  of 
Philip  II.  of  Spain.  On  the  other  hand,  when  despotism  is 
aroused  to  crush  out  liberty  and  true  religion,  and  clothes 
herself  with  a  false  religion,  what  nameless  deeds  of  horror 
has  she  not  perpetrated !  The  rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  45 

tells  you  a  story,  which  fills  every  generous  heart  with  indig 
nation  against  the  despot,  and  with  admiration  for  the 
brave  Netherlanders.  See  the  Huguenots  of  France  crushed 
down  under  the  heel  of  political  and  religious  despotism ; 
witness  the  horrors  ol  St.  Bartholomew's  day, — and  then,  if 
you  will,  turn  and  see  France  suffering  the  frightful  penalty 
of  those  crimes  against  humanity  and  religion  to-day.  Hear 
the  pibroch  of  Scotland,  sounding  among  her  valleys,  and 
calling  her  sons,  from  age  to  age,  to  repel  her  invaders  from 
the  south.  Follow  the  armies  of  Cromwell  through  their 
desperate  struggles  with  the  despotism  of  Charles  I.,  while 
the  nation  was  suffering  the  throes  of  the  birth  of  constitu 
tional  government.  Condense  three-quarters  of  all  the  wars 
of  the  world,  with  all  their  tears,  and  groans,  and  blood,  and 
death,  with  their  desolation  of  provinces  and  their  flam 
ing  cities,  towns  and  hamlets,  into  one  horrid  picture,  con 
ceive  of  despotism  as  being  the  presiding  genius  of  such  a 
picture,  and  see  if  you  can  think  of  a  symbol  horrid  enough 
to  represent  it.  Think  what  a  hell  it  has  created  in  this 
world,  and  you  will  have  to  ransack  the  infernal  regions,  and 
study  its  nameless  shapes  of  horror  to  find  a  fitting  symbol 
for  it.  Do  you  wonder,  if  John  says  this  monster  ascended 
from  perdition  ?  Do  you  wonder  when  he  says  it  shall  go 
into  perdition  ?  To  see  it,  along  with  death  and  hell, 
plunged  into  the  lake  of  fire,  was  the  culmination  of  John's 
mysterious  vision.  Millions  are  now  looking  for  the  mil 
lennium.  Shall  despotism  cease  during  that  happy  period  ? 
Yes,  and  before  it  can  commence ;  for  it  must  be  taken  out 
of  the  way  of  the  progress  of  the  world  toward  that  happy 
day.  With  this  impression  of  despotism  as  a  hindrance  to 
the  progress  of  Christian  civilization  in  your  minds,  look  at 
John's  symbolism,  and  see  if  it  is  adequate.  He  first  intro 
duces  it  to  our  notice,  in  the  twelfth  chapter,  as  the  great  red 
dragon,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  standing  ready  to 
devour  the  woman's  offspring  as  soon  as  it  should  be  born. 
He  had  seven  crowns  upon  his  heads,  and  his  tail  drew  after 
him  a  third  of  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  cast  them  down.  I 
have  no  doubt  but  this  monster  represents  political  despotism, 
with  that  of  Pagan  Rome  for  its  prototype,  in  its  attempt  to 
subvert  Christianity  with  the  sword.  When  the  Empire 


46  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

became  nominally  Christian,  the  form  of  despotism  changed, 
and  another  symbol  is  employed.  This  you  find  in  the  thir 
teenth  chapter.  A  beast  rose  up  out  of  the  sea,  having 
seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten  crowns, 
and  upon  his  heads  the  names  of  blasphemy.  He  was  like 
a  leopard,  and  his  feet  were  like  the  feet  of  a  bear,  and  his 
mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a  lion ;  and  the  dragon  gave  him  power 
and  his  seat,  and  great  authority.  This  symbolizes  some  power 
taking  the  place  of  the  dragon,  as  the  possessive  pronoun  avm^ 
referring  to  power  and  seat,  belongs  to  the  dragon,  /.  ^.,  it  was 
the  dragon's  power  and  seat  that  were  given  to  the  beast. 
Thus,  Pagan  despotism  resigned  its  power  and  throne  to 
another  form.  No  doubt,  this  symbolizes  the  despotism  of 
the  Empire,  after  it  abandoned  Paganism,  and  professed 
Christianity,  but  perverted  it  to  the  purposes  of  despotism, 
to  crushing  down,  with  an  iron  heel,  all  that  did  not  subscribe 
to  the  creed  of  the  Empire — Pagan  Rome  surrendering  the 
sword  of  persecution  into  the  hands  of  Christian  Rome. 
Nearly  the  same  symbols  are  used,  the  seven  heads  in  both 
monsters  denoting  the  seven  mountains  on  which  Rome 
stands ;  the  ten  horns  denoting  the  ten  tributary  kingdoms, 
or,  as  some  have  it,  ten  forms  of  administration ;  the  seven 
crowns  denoting  seven  kings,  in  the  one  instance,  and  the 
ten  crowns  denoting  ten  kings  in  the  other.  Thus  it  was 
through  the  Empire  that  ecclesiastical  despotism  controlled 
the  consciences  of  men.  But,  again,  when  the  Empire  was 
subverted,  it  is  plain  that  some  other  symbol  should  be  used 
to  designate  the  persecuting  power  principally  at  Rome ; 
for  this  power  gained  in  influence  as  the  secular  power 
of  the  Empire  waned.  So,  further  on  in  the  chapter,  we 
have  a  symbol  of  this  power,  in  the  second  beast,  which 
came  up  out  of  the  earth,  "And  it  had  two  horns,  like  a 
lamb,  and  he  spake  like  a  dragon.  And  he  exercised  all  the 
power  of  the  first  beast  before  him."  But  you  will  observe 
that  he  must  do  it  in  a  different  manner.  Before  the 
destruction  of  the  Empire,  the  political  and  ecclesiastical 
powers  were  one,  in  both  Pagan  and  Christian  Rome,  but, 
afterwards,  when  it  was  divided  into  a  number  of  smaller 
empires  and  kingdoms,  the  despotism  of  Rome  must  exer 
cise  its  political  jurisdiction,  through  different  channels,  and 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  47 

by  different  appliances,  though  none  the  less  effectually.  It 
is  now  the  one  beast,  but  the  ecclesiastical  idea  seems  to 
predominate.  Its  mode  of  administration  is  suggested  in  the 
symbolism,  the  two  horns  of  a  lamb.  The  lamb  signifies  the 
appearance  of  gentleness  and  meekness,  which  the  Papacy 
has  always  put  on,  in  the  exercise  of  its  tyrannical  and  san 
guinary  powers ;  while  the  two  horns  symbolize  the  political 
and  ecclesiastical  prerogatives  exercised  by  Rome.  The 
ecclesiastical  administration  was  nearly  the  same  as  under 
the  Empire,  while  the  civil  must  be  wielded  through  the 
many  kings  which  owned  the  supremacy  of  the  Pope.  Its 
hold,  however,  was  upon  the  people,  rather  than  upon  their 
rulers,  as  it  always  has  been.  The  second  beast  spake  just 
as  the  dragon  had  spoken,  decreed  extermination  upon  all 
that  questioned  its  exorbitant  pretensions.  The  one  beast 
is  all-sufficient  to  symbolize  that  terrible  power.  What  it 
decreed,  was  inexorable  law,  and  must  be  unrelentingly 
executed,  alike  under  the  Empire  and  under  the  administra 
tion  of  the  second  beast.  The  kings  of  the  earth  were  its 
servile  ministers.  Yea,  they  were  compelled  to  it,  for  the 
Papacy  had  more  influence  over  the  superstitious  masses  of 
Europe,  than  the  most  popular  kings  ever  could  have.  An 
interdict  laid  upon  a  kingdom,  outlawed  the  king,  and  made 
it,  not  only  the  privilege,  but  the  duty,  of  his  subjects  to  kill 
him.  Instances  of  such  licensed  regicide  are  not  wanting  in 
the  annals  of  the  Papacy. 

But  in  the  lapse  of  time,  the  assaults  of  the  Reformers, 
and  the  progress  of  the  age,  very  much  modified  the  prerog 
atives  of  this  power,  so  that  it  could  not  be  symbolized  by 
one  beast,  wielding  two  administrations.  The  hierarchy  has 
lost  much  of  its  influence  over  kings,  so  that,  instead  of 
their  being  subject  to  its  dictation,  it  has  become  a  creature 
of  their  sufferance.  Now,  a  different  symbol  is  required. 
That  is  furnished  in  the  seventeenth  chapter,  in  the  summary 
of  the  history  of  ecclesiastical  despotism,  there  furnished. 
The  Prophet  is  carried  away,  in  the  spirit,  into  the  wilderness, 
and  he  sees  a  woman  sitting  upon  a  scarlet-colored  beast, 
full  of  the  names  of  blasphemy,  having  seven  heads  and  ten 
horns;  and  the  woman  was  arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet 
color,  decked  with  gold,  and  precious  stones,  and  pearls, 


48  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

having  a  golden  cup  in  her  hand,  full  of  abominations  and 
filthiness  of  her  fornication,  and  upon  her  forehead  was  a 
name  written,  "  MYSTERY,  BABYLON,  THE  GREAT,  THE 
MOTHER  OF  HARLOTS  AND  ABOMINATIONS  OF  THE  EARTH." 
The  prophet  also  sees  the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood  of 
the  saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus. 
This  woman  represents  ecclesiastical  despotism,  intoler 
ance,  the  same  power  which  had  its  principal  seat  upon  the 
seven  mountains  of  Rome.  Yet,  how  changed  in  its  form  ! 
From  a  furious  beast,  with  the  paws  of  a  bear,  and  the  jaws 
of  a  lion,  with  which,  in  its  own  power,  it  could  grapple  with 
the  nations,  and  rend  and  devour  them,  to  a  beautiful,  aban 
doned  woman,  dependent,  for  her  influence,  upon  her  charms 
and  wiles,  her  lures,  traps,  and  intrigues,  by  which  she 
ensnares  and  holds  her  victims,  sitting  upon  the  back  of 
political  despotism,  supported  by  it,  dependent  upon  it, 
bolstered  up  by  its  bayonets.  This  describes  religious  des 
potism  for  two  or  three  hundred  years  past.  It  has  been 
dependent  upon  the  will  of  various  sovereigns,  for  the  exe 
cution  of  its  decrees.  Let  me  ask  if  there  could  be  a  better 
symbol  of  the  Papacy,  as  it  now  exists,  than  is  afforded  by 
this  abandoned  woman,  dependent,  for  her  influence,  upon 
the  display  of  her  ornaments,  and  borne  on  the  back  of  civil 
power.  But  this  figure,  taken  in  connection  with  others, 
shows  that  the  ecclesiastical  power  is  being  separated  from 
the  civil.  There  was  no  way  of  separating  the  two  in  the  sym 
bol  of  the  beast.  But  there  is  a  very  obvious  way  in  which 
it  can  be  done  in  this  symbolism.  The  monster  may  fling 
the  rider  from  his  back.  He  has  done  this  several  times, 
already,  and  the  Pope  has  been  compelled  to  fly  from  Rome. 
And  the  time  will  come  when  the  rider  will  be  forever  cast 
down,  for  the  ten  kings  shall  finally  hate  the  woman,  and 
make  war  upon  her.*  Then  shall  the  strong  angel  cry,  amid 
the  jubilation  of  disenthralled  millions,  and  the  hosannahs 
of  those  souls,  upon  whose  blood  the  woman  had  made  herself 
drunken,  "  Babylon,  the  Great,  is  fallen,  is  fallen !  "  and  this 
shall  be  the  end  of  religious  despotism.  No  religious  body 
shall  ever  thereafter  persecute.  The  followers  of  Christ  will 
then  have  learned  better — learned  that  the  peaceful  religion  of 

*  Rev.  xvii.  16. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  49 

Jesus  is  not  to  be,  and  cannot  be,  propagated  with  the  sword. 
But  it  will  not  be  the  end  of  civil  despotism,  as  a  hindrance 
to  the  progress  of  Christianity.  We  find  a  beast  alluded  to 
in  this  chapter,  as  "  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet 
is."  As  the  old  red  dragon  of  Pagan  Rome,  it  was,  and  is 
not ;  but,  as  the  same  power,  under  different  administrations, 
it  yet  is.  Mortally  wounded  on  a  thousand  fields,  its  deadly 
wounds  are  healed.  Cast  down  to  hell,  it  rises  again  from 
the  Stygian  waves,  and  curses  men  with  its  presence.  This 
old  dragon  appears  again  in  the  nineteenth  chapter,  as  Satan 
himself  rallying  the  kings  of  the  earth  to  his  bloody  standard, 
armed  with  hell's  furies,  fires,  and  thunders,  burning  with 
wrath,  that  the  empire  of  the  world  is  slipping  from  his 
grasp.  The  man  upon  the  white  horse  appears  in  heaven, 
with  "vesture  dipped  in  blood."  Then  comes  the  cry  of  the 
angel  standing  in  the  sun,  to  the  fowls  of  heaven,  "  Come 
and  gather  yourselves  together  to  the  supper  of  the  Great 
God."  The  man  on  the  white  horse  descends;  the  armies  of 
heaven  follow  him,  on  white  horses.  They  rally  all  the  armies 
of  the  church  militant  to  the  war.  Angels,  men  and  devils 
are  arrayed,  writh  hostile  front,  against  each  other.  They  stake 
the  supremacy  of  the  world  on  one  great  battle.  The  last  tem 
pest  before  the  dawn  breaks  over  the  world — the  beast  and 
false  prophet  are  taken  and  cast,  alive,  into  the  lake  of  fire, 
burning  with  brimstone — myriad  myriads  of  their  followers 
are  slain  with  the  sword ;  the  fowls  of  heaven  are  filled  with 
their  flesh ;  the  devil  is  bound  and  cast  into  hell  a  thousand 
years,  and  earth  salutes  her  descending  Lord  and  King. 
This  is  a  brief  synopsis  of  the  history  of  despotism,  as  fore 
shown  in  the  symbols  of  this  prophecy.  There  are  points  in 
it,  which  I  shall  call  up  and  discuss  more  fully,  as  I  proceed. 
But  I  desired  to  bring  before  your  minds,  the  one  power,  des 
potism,  running  through  the  whole  history  of  the  Church, 
until  the  commencement  of  the  millennium. 

To  trace  some  of  the  effects  of  the  outpouring  of  the  fifth 
vial,  in  history,  shall  be  my  next  business. 

Let  us  then  remark  on  this  vial : 

i.  The  calamities  foreshadowed  by  it  must  come  in 
immediate  connection  with  those  already  noticed,  and  be  a 
part  in  the  chain  of  events  tending  to  the  same  general 
result. 


50  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

2.  We  should  expect  that  they  would  fall  directly  upon 
the  source,  common  center,  or  seat  of  influence  of  the  evil 
powers  at  which  all  these  vials  are  aimed.     Therefore,  as 
Rome  has  been,  and  is,  the  chief  center  of  despotism — as  the 
most  disastrous  forms  of  it  in  modern  times  have  been  stim 
ulated  by  the  example  of  old  Rome,  in  the  desire  of  ambi 
tious  men  to  restore  the  old  Empire — and  as  it  is  now  the 
seat    of  the   most   formidable    ecclesiastical    despotism    the 
world  ever  saw,  we  should  expect  that  the  disasters  would 
first  fall  upon  that  city — or  more  directly,  upon  the  powers 
having  their  seat  there. 

3.  That,  as  the  Pope  is  the  head  of  despotic  influence 
there,  they  must  affect  him  very  disastrously. 

4.  That  there  must  be  something  in  them  to  suggest  the 
propriety  of  the  symbolism — something  which,  in  some  sense, 
resembles  darkness. 

5.  That  revolution  and  war  would  constitute  important 
features  of  the  calamities. 

6.  But  that,  while  this  is  so,  they  must  consist,  widely  and 
deeply,  in  something  else,  and  proceed,  not  only  from  the 
influence  of  the  fifth  vial,  but  from  all  the  rest  combined,  as 
allusion  is  made,  even  back  to  the  first,  as  a  cause  for  them. 

7.  That  they  must  be  very  severe,  as  they  gnawed  their 
tongues  for  pain. 

8.  That,  as  the  two   forms  of  despotism — political   and 
ecclesiastical — have  everywhere  been  closely  united,  and,  as 
the  vial  was  poured   out  upon  the  source  of  vitality,  they 
v/ould   affect  despotism,   more   or   less,  in  all  parts  of  the 
Christian  world. 

9.  But  that   they   would    not   work   the    destruction  of 
either,  only  tend  to  that  result  by  greatly  weakening  both, 
reserving  this  grand  result  until  after  the  outpouring  of  the 
seventh  vial. 

10.  We  are  not  led  to  expect  that  they  would  make  the 
chief  parties,  and,  especially,  those  at  Rome,  where  the  vial 
was  poured  out,  any  better,  for  "  they  blasphemed  the  God 
of  heaven,  for  their  pains  and  their  sores,  and  repented  not 
of  their  deeds." 

We  will  reserve  the  consideration  of  these  remarks  to  our 
next  lecture. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  51 


VI. 

WE  have  pursued  this  subject  far  enough  to  note  several 
very  important  observations  before  proceeding  directly  to 
the  subject  in  hand. 

1.  That  the  outpouring  of  the  vials* — or,  perhaps,  we 
should  better  understand  ourselves,  if  we   should  say,  the 
bringing   into    active    operation    the    causes    symbolized  by 
their  outpouring,  as  historic  forces,  while  they  may,  though 
possibly  not  necessarily,  succeed  each  other,  in  the  order  in 
which  they  are  named — need  not  be  at  regular  intervals  of 
time.      The   symbolism,  wrhile  it  does  not  forbid,  does  not 
require  it.     One  may  succeed  another  so  quickly — the  two 
may  seem  to  be  so  nearly  contemporaneous — that  it  may  be 
difficult  to  determine  their  chronological  order.     This  may 
be  observed  of  the  first  and  second  vials ;  and,  if  we  notice 
the  first  and  the  fifth,  as  associated  together  in  our  text,  by 
the  allusion  in  the  fifth  to  the  sores,  we  shall  be  almost  at  a 
loss  where  to   put  the    fifth,  after  the  first.      'But  this  may 
come  from  the  fact,  that  we  have  scarcely  passed  the  epoch 
of  history  marked  by  the  fifth. 

So,  again,  between  others,  there  may  be  a  marked  interval 
of  years,  as,  beyond  doubt,  there  is  between  the  sixth  and 
seventh. 

2.  We  may  observe   that  the  causes  symbolized,  which 
are  to  produce  the  fearful  calamities,  need  not,  necessarily, 
be    instantaneous    in    their    preparation.      Some    may    be 
gradual,  like    the    rise  of  a  river,  swollen   by  rains,  which 
sweeps  away  cities  on  its  banks,  and  inundates  large  tracts 
of   country.      Others  may   require  years,  yea,  centuries,  of 
preparation,  as  the  long  attrition  of  the  waters  of  Niagara 
finally  undermined  Table  Rock,  and  it  fell,  with  a  crash,  into 
the  chasm  below..     The  cause  and  the  effect  must  not  be 
confounded.     The  outpouring  of  the  vials  are  causes ;   the 

*  Note  37,  stanza  91. 


52  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

calamities  which  follow,  are  the  effects — both  adequately 
symbolizing  historic  forces  and  events.  Thus,  the  falling 
rains  and  the  attrition  of  waters  are  causes ;  the  destruction 
of  cities  and  the  falling  of  the  rock  are  effects. 

3.  Again,  the  effects  of  the  outpouring  need  not  imme 
diately  appear,  nor  at   the  same  intervals  of  time,  in  each 
case.     The  taking  effect  of  various  causes,  in  history,  may 
be  similar  to  their  preparation.     To  illustrate  :  some  poisons 
introduced  into  the  animal  system,  take  effect  almost  instan 
taneously,  while  others  may  be  months  and  years  in  pro 
ducing  death.     Thus,  if  seven  different  poisons,  varying  in 
their  rapidity  of  operation,  be  given  to  seven  different  indi 
viduals,  successively,  the  seventh  may  be  first  to  die,  because 
the  poison  given  to  him,  might  be  the  most  active.     So,  if 
the  effects  of  these  vials  should  appear,  in  their  fulfillment, 
to  be  somewhat  mingled,  one  event  coming  before,  which, 
according  to   the  chronological  order  of  the  vials,  should 
have  come  after  another,  this  need  not  cast  discredit  upon 
the  fulfillment  of  the  symbols. 

4.  We  may  observe,  again,  that  the  time  when  the  effects 
of  each  vial  shall  cease  to  be  traceable  in  history,  need  not, 
necessarily,  follow  the  order  of  the  vials.     Thus,  if  we  find 
the  sore  of  French  atheistic  republicanism  still  afflicting  the 
bodies  politic  of  the  nations,  long  after  the  waves  of  the  sea 
have  lost  their  bloody  tinge,  the  rivers  and  fountains  have 
run  clear,  and  the  sun  has  ceased  to  scorch  the  nations,  we 
need  not  feel  that  the  symbolisms  are  at  all  impaired. 

5.  Neither  need  we  be  surprised,  if  the  effects  of  one 
vial  become  the   causes  of  another.     This  is  the  order  of 
sequence  in  the  natural  world.     Every  cause  is  the  effect  of 
some  other  cause,  running  back,  until  we  reach  the  great 
First  Cause. 

Feeling  the  force  of  the  foregoing  observations,  we  shall 
not  wonder,  if  we  find  the  events,  which  are  the  fulfillment 
of  these  prophetic  symbols,  somewhat  involved,  nor  need  it 
shake  our  faith,  if  we  do. 

We  will  now  discuss  the  points  named  in  our  last  lecture, 
as  meeting  the  demands  of  this  symbolism. 

i.  Our  first  remark  was  that  the  calamities  foreshadowed 
should  come,  clearly  in  connection  with  the  events  of  the  fore- 


INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES.  53 

going  vials,  and  be  a  part  of  the  chain  of  events  tending  to 
the  same  general  result,  /.  e.,  to  the  destruction  of  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  despotism.*  The  vials  plainly  foreshadowed  a 
series  of  connected  events,  interdependent  upon  each  other, 
all,  undoubtedly,  aimed  at  the  destruction  and  removal  of 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  progress  of  pure  Christianity  over 
the  world.  We  have  found  that  political  and  ecclesiastical 
despotism  have  been,  pre-eminently,  the  two  great  hindering 
causes,  and  we  shall  expect  that  the  events  foreshadowed 
here  must  fall  heavily  upon  them.  This  was  the  case,  as  we 
shall  see,  in  the  progress  of  our  discussion. 

2.  Our  second  remark  was,  that  these  calamities  must 
fall  directly  upon  the  source,  common  center,  or  seat  of 
influence,  of  these  powers. f  On  the  hypothesis,  that  the 
beast,  in  its  various  forms  and  modes  of  administration,  as 
seen  by  John,  symbolized  political  and  ecclesiastical  des 
potism,  in  their  bearing  upon  the  progress  of  Christianity, 
can  we  find  anything  in  the  events  which  occurred  in  con 
nection  with  those  already  mentioned,  which  will  answer  the 
demand  ?  We  think  we  can,  and  those  clear  enough  to  sat 
isfy  any  reasonably  candid  inquirer,  whose  theories  do  not 
compel  him  to  an  opposite  opinion,  regardless  of  evidence. 
We  have  no  hesitancy  in  endorsing  the  theory,  that  Rome, 
the  city  of  the  seven  hills,  is  the  place  where  this  vial  was 
poured  out,  as  being  in  harmony  with,  and  demanded  by, 
our  previous  expositions.  Here  were  the  causes  generated 
which  have  resulted  in  the  solemn,  interesting,  and,  to  the 
enemies  of  God,  the  fearful  events  foreshadowed  by  the 
symbolism  of  the  fifth  vial.  And  a  point  that  I  have  not 
seen  noticed  by  any  writer,  is  well  worth  mentioning  here, 
and  that  is,  that  there  must  have  been  a  nearer  connection 
between  the  first  and  fifth  vials,  than  between  any  of  the 
others  and  the  fifth.  This  is  demonstrated  by  an  allusion,  in 
our  text,  to  the  sore  which  was  the  effect  of  the  outpouring 
of  the  first  vial.  The  wars  of  Napoleon,  upon  the  Papal 
power,  were,  no  doubt,  largely  assisted  by  the  atheistic 
republicanism  of  France — the  sore  of  the  first  vial.  This 
had  been  working  upon  the  masses  of  Europe,  particularly 

-  *  Note  38,  Canto  I,  stanza  92.  t  Note  37,  Canto  I,  stanza  92. 


54  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

in  Italy.  We  should,  hence,  expect,  and  we  shall  find,  that 
French  influence  was  largely  instrumental  in  bringing  about 
the  calamities  of  this  vial  of  wrath. 

Before  proceeding  further,  I  cannot  do  better  than  to  give 
place  here  to  an  interesting  prediction  of  an  old  commen 
tator,  Mr.  Fleming,  in  an  exposition  of  these  chapters,  pub 
lished  about  1700,  quoted  by  Barnes.  I  cannot  quote  it  in 
full.  He  entered  upon  his  calculation,  that  the  fifth  vial 
would  be  poured  out  in  1794,  and  last  till  1848,  when  the 
Pope  would  be  banished,  and  the  Papacy  greatly  weakened, 
but  not  destroyed,  as  other  vials  were  yet  to  be  outpoured. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  this  covers  the  period  from  the 
first  Italian  Republic  to  that  which  succeeded  the  French 
Revolution,  in  1848,  both  of  which  were  affected  by  the 
leaven  of  French  republicanism.  Also,  that,  in  1851,  the 
Pope  was  restored  by  France,  though  greatly  shorn  of  power. 

For  an  extended  account  of  the  events  which  followed 
the  outpouring  of  this  vial,  I  refer  you  to  Alison's  History 
of  Europe,  Volume  I,  pp.  542-547 — a  passage  which,  a? 
remarked  by  Albert  Barnes,  could  hardly  have  been  more 
fittingly  worded,  if  it  had  been  written  out  on  purpose  for 
the  history  of  the  fulfillment  of  this  vial.  No  one,  who  has 
read  Alison,  will,  I  think,  accuse  him  of  writing  in  the  inter 
est  of  this  interpretation,  as  his  sympathies  were,  decidedly, 
with  the  Papal  powers,  though  not  a  Papist  himself.  It  is  an 
entirely  unconscious  witness  to  the  foresight  of  prophecy.  I 
can  only  give  a  synopsis  of  the  passage  here.  It  was  under 
the  instigation,  and  by  the  help  of  the  French  Directory, 
that  Rome  was  revolutionized.*  It  had  long  been  its  object 
of  ambition,  to  plant  the  tricolor  in  the  city  of  Brutus. 
The  situation  of  the  Pope,  since  the  wars  in  Italy,  had  been 
extremely  precarious,  as  the  northern  provinces  were  under 
the  dictation  of  the  French  Republic,  thus  cutting  him  off 
from  the  active  sympathy  of  Austria,  which  was  then  his  chief 
supporter.  I  pointed  out  the  effects  of  these  Italian  cam 
paigns  upon  the  Papacy,  in  my  exposition  of  the  third  vial. 
It  was  now  a  favorable  time  for  the  outpouring  of  the  vial  of 
wrath  upon  the  seat  of  the  beast.  The  Papacy,  deprived  of 
its  military  support,  impoverished  in  its  treasuries  by  pre- 

*  Note  40,  Canto  I,  stanza  92. 


INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES.  55 

vious  conflicts,  would  be  an  easy  victim  to  the  plague  of 
French  republicanism,  which  had  been  working  and  spread 
ing  among  the  people  of  the  Papal  States,  until  the  Papal 
throne  was  like  a  city  on  the  heaving  sides  of  Vesuvius,  just 
before  an  eruption  which  breaks  forth  and  sweeps  all  to 
destruction.  The  explosion  came  on  the  seventeenth  of 
December,  1798.  A  great  crowd  was  assembled  at  the 
French  consulate.  A  collision  occurred  between  the  Papal 
troops  and  some  of  the  insurgents,  who,  on  that  occasion, 
openly  wore  the  provoking  tricolored  cockade,  and  several 
were  killed,  among  whom  was  Duphot,  a  member  of  the 
French  Legation.  This  aroused  the  insurgents  to  open  hos 
tilities.  Being  technically  a  violation  of  the  law  of  nations, 
it  called  the  armies  of  the  French  Republic  to  the  gates  of 
Rome.  On  the  fifteenth  of  February,  1799,  a  great  crowd 
was  assembled  in  the  Campo  Vaccino — the  ancient  forum — 
and,  amid  the  cries  and  tumultuous  cheers  of  the  populace, 
the  venerable  ensigns  of  ancient  Rome — S.  P.  Q.  R. — after 
a  lapse  of  fourteen  hundred  years,  were  again  displayed  and 
floated  to  the  winds.  In  the  language  of  Alison:  "The 
multitude  tumultuously  demanded  the  overthrow  of  the 
Papal  authority ;  the  French  troops  were  invited  to  enter ; 
the  conquerors  of  Italy,  with  a  haughty  air,  passed  the  gates 
of  Aurelian,  defiled  through  the  Piazza  del  Popolo,  gazed  on 
the  indestructible  monuments  of  Roman  grandeur,  and, 
amid  the  shouts  of  the  inhabitants,  the  tricolor  flag  was 
displayed  from  the  summit  of  the  Capitol."  Thus  the  Papal 
government  was  subverted,*  and  the  ftoman  Republic,  as  it 
was  styled,  was  inaugurated  as  the  first  direct  effects  of  the 
outpouring  of  the  fifth  vial.  The  revolution  spread,  and 
Papal  authority  was  speedily  extinguished  in  all  the  Papal 
States. 

3.  In  the  light  of  the  above,  it  is  easy  to  see  the  truth  of 
our  third  remark,  viz. :  That,  as  the  Pope  is  the  head  of 
despotic  influences  at  Rome,  he  must,  of  necessity,  be  the 
chief  victim  of  these  calamities.!  Whatever  revolutionizes 
a  kingdom,  must,  necessarily,  involve  its  sovereign.  He  was 
ordered  to  retire  into  Tuscany,  under  French,  instead  of  his 

*  Note  41    Canto  I,  stanza  92.  t  Note  42,  ibid. 


56  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

Swiss,  guards,  and  to  dispossess  himself  of  all  temporal 
authority.  He  refused  to  comply.  Force  was  soon  called 
in ;  he  was  dragged  from  the  altar  in  his  palace ;  his  reposi 
tories' were  ransacked — even  his  rings  were  taken  from  his 
fingers — the  whole  effects  in  the  Vatican  and  Quirinal  were 
seized  and  inventoried,  and  he  was  conducted,  in  great  igno 
miny,  with  only  a  few  domestics,  into  Tuscany.  Thence  he 
was  dragged'  about  in  exile,  until  in  the  month  of  August. 
Then,  from  the  hardships  of  travel  in  the  mountainous 
regions  of  the  Appenines  and  of  the  Alps,  the  old  man 
expired.  Thus  ended  the  Pontificate  of  Pius  VI.  His  lamp 
went  out  in  darkness,  amidst  the  tempests  of  civil  and  eccle 
siastical  revolution. 

4.  This  brings  us  to  our  fourth  remark  :  That  the  dark 
ness  which  followed  the  outpouring  of  this  vial,  must  sym 
bolize  something  in  these  calamities,  which,  in  some  sense, 
resembles,  or  would  suggest,  natural  darkness.  That  the 
friends  of  the  Papacy  must  have  been  in  great  doubt  and 
perplexity  in  the  midst  of  such  unpropitious  events,  is  the 
most  rational  expectation  in  the  world.  The  plague  now 
invades  the  very  sanctum  sanctorum  of  the  Papacy,  already 
stunned  and  weakened  by  the  effects  of  the  former  vials  of 
wrath,  and  drives  out  the  sovereign  Pontiff.  What  greater 
and  more  humiliating  disasters  could  fall  upon  the  head  of 
the  Papacy  ?  If  there  were  no  power  to  turn  aside  the  fiery 
inundation  from  France,  what  power  could  now  roll  it  back, 
repair  its  damages,  and  restore  the  treasures  which  French 
soldiers  had  taken  from  the  world's  repository  ?  Surely,  his 
kingdom  was  full  of  darkness.  Even  the  people  of  Rome, 
after  the  Pope  was  driven  from  the  chair  of  the  Papacy,  were 
in  a  state  of  the  utmost  confusion  and  foreboding.  Berthier, 
who  commanded  the  French  troops  when  they  took  posses 
sion  of  Rome,  writes  to  Napoleon :  "  I  have  been  in  Rome 
since  this  morning,  and  I  have  found  nothing  but  the  utmost 
consternation  among  its  inhabitants."  As  events  progressed, 
they  did  not  realize  what  they  hoped  from  a  Roman  Repub 
lic  :  for  the  greed  of  France  soon  absorbed  the  Papal  States 
and  Southern  Italy,  as  it  had  already  absorbed  the  Northern 
States,  under  the  illusory  professions  of  establishing  freedom 
for  the  people,  where  blood  had  so  stained  the  rivers  and 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  57 

the  fountains,  and  the  condition  of  the  people,  under  French 
dictation  and  domination,  was  scarcely  less  tolerable  than 
under  that  of  the  Pope.  And  what  can  better  describe  the 
condition  of  the  Papal  States  under  Napoleon,  after  he  had 
become  Chief  Consul  and  Emperor,  than  to  say  that  they 
were  full  of  darkness  ?  All  efforts  to  stay  his  aggressions, 
abortive ;  every  barrier  they  had  erected,  sinking  under  the 
weight  of  his  iron  hand,  where  was  the  visible  hope  of  that 
power — from  what  point  in  the  political  heavens,  now  dark 
as  hades,  could  they  look  for  light  to  break  forth  ? 

5.  We  are  prepared  by  the  above,  to  consider  our  fifth 
remark,  viz. :  That  revolution  and  war  would  constitute  an 
important  part  of  these  calamities. 

It  is,  however,  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  great  battles 
which  have  involved  the  fate  of  the  Papacy,  have  not  been 
fought  in  the  hearing  of  the  seven  hills.  Thus,  the  first 
Italian  revolution  was  a  logical  consequence  of  the  battles 
of  Northern  Italy — of  Lodi,  Arcole,  Rivoli,  and  many  others. 
And  that  which  kept  the  Papacy  in  a  state  of  servile  depend 
ence  upon  the  will  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon,  and  its 
kingdom  full  of  darkness  and  doubt,  was  his  astounding 
successes  in  the  awful  battles  of  the  period  when  men  were 
scorched,  as  it  were,  by  the  heat  of  the  sun.  Thus,  during 
the  seventy-five  years  of  its  subsequent  history,  up  to  the 
present  time,  which  are  supposed  to  be  covered  by  the  sym 
bols  of  this  vial,  so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  seat  of  the 
Papal  domination,  all  the  great  battles  which  have  weakened 
that  power,  and  brought  it  where  it  is  to-day,  have  been  out 
of  hearing  of  Rome,  with  few  exceptions.  Great  upheavals 
in  mid-ocean  have  sent  their  waves,  thundering  and  crash 
ing,  against  the  walls  of  the  Eternal  City,  until,  at  length, 
they  have  broken  them  down,  and  overflowed  the  seven  hills. 
The  disasters  of  1848  were  effects  of  the  great  tidal  wave  of 
revolution,  heaved  up  in  France  and  rolled  over  the  city  of 
the  Caesars.  The  battles  under  the  leadership  of  Garibaldi, 
which  shred  away  from  the  Pope  a  number  of  the  States  of 
the  Church,  were  fought,  principally,  in  Sicily  and  Southern 
Italy.  The  battles  of  Magenta  and  Solferino,  which  con 
firmed  the  Italian  crown,  including  several  more  of  the 
States  of  the  Church,  to  Victor  Emmanuel,  were  foudit  under 
3* 


58  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

the  Alps,  out  of  hearing  of  Rome.  The  collision  of  great 
powers,  compared  to  which  the  troops  of  the  Papal  States 
were  but  a  small  handful,  brought  about  these  results.  One 
of  the  most  terrible  blows  which  the  Papacy  has  received  in 
modern  times,  was  struck  at  Sadowa,  where  one  of  the  two 
strongest,  and  almost  its  only,  supporters,  was  struck  down 
by  Protestant  Prussia.  This  fearful  campaign  separated 
Lombardy  from  the  Austrian  crown,  and  gave  it  to  Victor 
Emmanuel — an  excommunicated  son  of  the  Church.  And 
the  last  great  blow,  which  culminated  at  Sedan,  has  stricken 
down  the  other  power,  whose  bayonets  held  the  Pope  in  his 
place,  viz.,  the  French  Empire ;  and  to-day  his  capital  and 
kingdom  are  both  in  the  hands  of  his  rebellious  son,  Victor. 
The  leniency  of  the  Italian  Parliament  toward  the  Holy 
Father,  which  some  deplore,  will,  doubtless,  tend  more  to 
disarm  reactionists,  and  secure  to  the  Italian  crown  a  perma 
nent  possession  of  Rome,  than  that  severity  which  would 
again  drive  him  into  the  hardships  of  exile.  Thus,  while 
revolutions  and  wars  have  clamored  around  Rome,  they,  as 
from  the  nature  of  the  symbolism  we  should  not  expect  they 
would,  have  not  proved  as  severe  as  those  foreshadowed 
under  other  symbols.  Yet,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
the  Papal  Government  has  repeatedly  become  so  odious  to 
its  subjects,  that  it  has  been  revolutionized  by  the  sword, 
and  driven*  from  its  capital  at  the  point  of  insurgent  bay 
onets.  That  no  great  battles  have  been  fought  around  the 
walls  of  Rome,  to  accomplish  this,  only  shows  how  low  that 
power  had  sunk  under  the  repeated  shocks  of  former 
reverses.  He  who  once  could  have  called  the  armies  of  all 
Europe  around  the  seven  hills,  if  that  had  been  necessary, 
to  defend  his  prerogative,  could  now  call  to  his  support  but 
a  contemptibly  small  army,  a  mere  squad,  in  comparison 
with  the  mighty  armies  which  won  or  lost  the  great  battles  of 
Europe,  during  that  unprecedentedly  stormy  period.  Poor, 
sickly  Spain  gave  Napoleon  more  trouble  than  all  the  power 
which  the  Pope  could  call  to  his  especial  aid,  though  he  was 
the  so-styled  Sovereign  Pontiff  of  Christendom.  Yet,  his 
overthrow,  under  Garibaldi,  was  still  more  humiliating.  In 
the  revolution  of  '98,  and  for  some  time  after,  Spain  and 
Austria  were  taxing  all  their  powers  for  existence  against 


INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES.  59 

the  aggressions  of  France  and  Napoleon.  If  they  did  not 
send  him  many  troops,  it  was  because  they  could  not.  But 
now,  France,  Austria  and  Spain,  and  other  minor  powers,  all 
professed  friends  of  the  Pope,  were  at  liberty,  and  nothing 
but  the  will  was  wanting,  to  send  more  than  enough  troops 
to  crush  both  the  armies  of  Garibaldi,  and  of  Victor 
Emmanuel,  too,  if  he  should  oppose  them  in  helping  the 
Pope.  The  fact  that  they  did  not  do  this,  shows  how  little 
influence  the  Papal  power  had.  France  afforded  her  tardy 
aid,  just  enough  to  keep  the  army  of  Garibaldi  from  entering 
the  Eternal  City;  that  was  all;  while  she  consented  to  see 
the  Pope  robbed  of  nearly  all  his  kingdom,  for  the  benefit  of 
Victor  Emmanuel. 

6.  This  prepares  the  way  for  our  sixth  remark,  viz.:  That 
while  revolution  and  war  must  be  expected  to  result  from 
this  outpouring,  the  calamities  must  consist,  widely  and 
deeply,  in  something  else,  and  that  this  must  proceed,  not 
only  from  the  fifth  vial,  but  also  from  all  the  previous  vials, 
especially  from  the  first,  as  allusion  is  made  to  it  in  our  text. 
We  can  allude  to  but  one  among  many  of  these  effects,  and 
that  is,  to  the  progress  of  liberal  ideas  not  so  immediately 
dependent  upon  great  civil  convulsions,  which  is  surely  rob 
bing  the  Papacy  of  its  power  and  prestige  in  the  world. 
Men  are  learning  that  this  polity  belongs  to  a  former  period 
of  the  world's  history.  They  might  submit  to  it  during  the 
dark  ages,  but  now  they  are  rising  above  those  superstitious 
fears  with  which  the  Papal  power  has  held  such  unlimited 
sway  over  the  World  for  fifteen  hundred  years.  Men  begin 
to  see  that  countries  under  Papal  and  Jesuitical  influence  do 
not  keep  abreast  of  the  age.  In  this  view,  then,  every  new 
railroad  built,  every  steamboat  that  plows  waters  where  such 
crafts  have  been  comparative  strangers,  every  printing  press 
put  in  operation,  every  free  school  house  built — the  dread 
and  abhorrence  of  Jesuits, — every  advance  of  Protestant 
churches,  every  step  towards  liberalizing  the  constitutions  of 
kingdoms,  every  limit  set  to  kingly  prerogative,  is  a  loud 
tocsin  in  the  ears  of  ecclesiastical  prerogative. 

And  here,  I  may  as  well  say,  that  whatever  is  symbolized 
by  the  contents  of  the  vials,  it  need  not  be  intrinsically  evil. 
If  its  effects  prove  disastrous  to  the  powers  on  which  it  is 


63  I  X  T  R  O  D  U  C  T  O  R  Y     LECTURES. 

poured,  the  conditions  of  the  symbolism  will  be  satisfied. 
If  we  suppose,  then,  that  the  contents  of  the  fifth  vial  sym 
bolize  the  spirit  of  inquiry  and  independence  of  thought 
which  distinguishes  the  present  age,  and,  although  subject  to 
many  abuses, — as  all  good  things  are,  in  this  world, — is  the 
impelling  power  of  the  age,  we  should  not  do  violence  to  the 
symbol.  It  is  surely  a  vial  of  wrath,  a  sore,  a  mortal  enemy 
to  all  forms  of  despotism,  poured  right  on  its  very  throne  of 
power,  and  will  surely  work  its  destruction.  As  men  learn 
to  think  and  act  for  themselves,  they  will  cast  off  the  tram 
mels  which  despots  of  every  class  and  grade  would  throw 
around  them.  The  open  Bible,  which  this  spirit  is  giving  to 
the  world,  which  teaches  the  law  of  equality  and  love,  is 
the  greatest  enemy,  yea,  I  may  say,  the  principles  drawn 
from  its  inspired  pages  are  the  only  enemies,  of  despotism. 
For,  while  it  teaches  submission  to  the  powers  that  be,  as 
ordained  or  permitted  of  God,  it  lays  its  most  crushing 
interdicts  upon  political  or  spiritual  lording  it  over  God's 
people.  The  Jesuits  are  plotting,  and  they  will  continue  to 
plot  as  long  as  they  have  an  existence,  and  they  will,  no 
doubt,  instigate  reactions  in  favor  of  despotic  prerogative,  as 
they  seem  likely  to  succeed  in  doing  in  Austria,  with  the 
imbecile  Francis  Joseph,  but  the  spirit  of  free  inquiry,  amid 
the  increasing  light  of  the  age,  will,  in  the  end,  prove  more 
than  a  match  for  them,  and  they  will  go  down  before  the 
armies  of  heaven,  which  come  on  the  white  steeds  of  liberty 
and  virtue. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  6l 


VII. 

AMERICA  IN  PROPHECY. 

REV.  xvi.,  10,  ii. 

MY  seventh  remark,  regarding  the  fulfillment  of  this  pas 
sage,  was  that  the  calamities  following  this  outpouring,  must 
be  very  severe,  as  the  men  having  the  mark  of  the  beast 
"gnawed  their  tongues  for  pain."  This  indicates  extreme 
suffering.*  The  Greek  word,  rendered  gnawed  here,  is 
found  nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testament,  and  but  once  in 
the  Greek  version  of  the  Old  Testament  by  the  Seventy. 
There  can  scarcely  be  any  stronger  symbolism  of  pain, 
than  is  found  in  this.  Several  special  remarks  regarding 
it  may,  perhaps,  quicken  our  apprehensions  of  its  force  in 
the  application. 

i.  We  may  regard  this  suffering,  in  an  important  sense, 
as  the  culminating  result  of  all  the  previous  vials.  We  have 
already  alluded  to  this  feature.  This  symbol  is,  probably, 
an  allusion  to  extreme  thirst — so  extreme  as  to  force  men  to 
gnaw  their  tongues  for  pain.  Take  all  the  symbols,  thus  far 
presented,  in  their  bearing  upon  this  anguish,  and  see  if  the 
prophet  has  not  made  out  a  strong  case.  Men  are  smitten 
with  a  noisome,  grievous  sore  or  plague.  Such  a  disease 
must,  of  course,  be  cutaneous.  All  cutaneous  diseases  are 
more  or  less  inflammatory,  and  will  produce  fever  and  thirst. 
With  burning  bodies,  we  may  suppose  they  go  to  the  sea 
side  for  the  cool  breezes  which  fan  its  coasts,  to  cool  the 
smarting  sore.  But  the  angel's  wings  have  been  over  the 
sea ;  its  waters  are  red  with  blood,  and  its  basin  a  vast,  hid 
eous  sepulchre  of  the  dead.  They  fly,  in  horror,  from  the 
great,  surging  hades,  to  escape  further  contagion.  Their 
thirst  impels  them.  They  hasten  to  the  cool,  mountain 

*  Note  43,  Canto  I,  stanza  43. 


62  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

valleys,  to  assuage  their  thirst  in  those  sweet  rivers  and 
fountains  which  flow  perennial  from  their  unfailing  sources. 
But  alas!  the  footsteps  of  the  angel  of  death  have  been 
there,  and  changed  their  waters  into  blood,  while  the  land 
reeks  with  the  stench  of  the  slain.  Horrors !  Blood  to 
slake  their  burning,  maddening  thirst !  While  they  are  look 
ing  here  and  there  for  relief,  and,  it  may  be,  are  meditating 
flight  to  the  mountain  tops  to  find  it  amid  their  eternal 
snows,  the  angel  smites  the  sun,  and  his  flaming  rays  scorch 
their  already  smarting  bodies,  and  intensify  their  horrible 
thirst. 

O  where  is  there  covert  in  this  hour  of  trial  ? 

What  glen,  or  what  cavern,  can  shelter  afford? 
O  how  can  they  flee  from  the  flames  of  that  vial  ? 

Say,  how  can  they  'scape  the  fierce  wrath  of  the  Lord  ? 

Will  they  fly  to  the  ocean,  and  hide  in  its  billows  ? 

Ah,  no  !  for  its  waters  are  reeking  with  blood. 
Will  they  seek  the  cool  streams,  'neath  the  sheltering  willows? 

No  !  no  !  for  contagion  fills  fountain  and  flood. 

Yet  men,  in  their  madness,  repent  not,  but  blaspheme  the 
name  of  God,  which  hath  power  over  these  plagues.  While 
cursing  and  casting  about  for  relief  in  vain,  the  fifth  vial  is 
poured  out,  the  sun,  as  if  his  rays  had  been  consumed  by  the 
previous  burning,  is  veiled  in  sackcloth,  and  a  horrible 
darkness  covers  them  with  its  pall.  Is  there  wonder  that  by 
this  time  we  find  men  gnawing  their  tongues  in  the  mad 
agony  of  their  pains  ? 

2.  Remark  a  little  further  on  the  actual  seventy  of  the 
calamities  indicated  by  this  symbolism.  If  we  note  that 
the  rapacity  and  ico^oclasm*  of  the  revolutionists,  assisted 
by  the  French  soldiers,  far  outstripped  the  Goths,  Vandals 
and  Huns,  which  of  old  had  subverted  the  Western  Empire, 
and  even  the  Saracens  and  Turks,  who  subverted  the  East 
ern,  we  may  increase  the  vividness  of  our  impressions.  They 
out-vandaled  the  Vandals.  The  clergy,  and  the  nobles  who 
were  also  generally  supporters  of  the  Papacy,  were  stripped 
of  everything;  and  those  who  were  not  put  to  death,  were 
driven  into  exile.  Many  of  the  venerable  monuments  of 

*  Note  44,  Canto  I,  stanza  94. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  63 

antiquity,  which  the  northern  barbarians  had  spared,  were 
ruthlessly  torn  down.  The  iconoclasts  re-enacted  the  scenes 
of  Antwerp  in  the  seventeenth  century ;  and  even  that  won 
drous  structure,  the  Church  of  St.  Peter,  narrowly  escaped 
destruction.  Alison  says  :  "  The  spoliation  exceeded  all  that 
the  Goths  and  Vandals  had  effected.  Not  only  the  palaces 
of  the  Vatican  and  the  Monte  Cavillo,  and  of  the  chief 
nobility  of  Rome,  but  those  of  Castel  Gondolfo,  on  the 
margin  of  the  Alban  Lake,  of  Terracina,  the  Villa  Albani, 
and  others  in  the  environs  of  Rome,  were  plundered  of  every 
article  of  value.  The  whole  sacerdotal  habits  of  the  Pope 
and  Cardinals  were  burned,  to  collect  from  the  flames  the 
gold  with  which  they  were  adorned.  The  Vatican  was 
stripped  to  its  naked  walls ;  the  immortal  frescoes  of 
Raphael  and  Michael  Angelo  remained,  in  solitary  beauty, 
p.mid  the  general  desolation.  A  contribution  of  four  mill 
ions  [pounds]  of  money,  two  millions  of  provisions,  and  of 
three  thousand  horses,  was  imposed  on  a  city  already 
exhausted  by  the  enormous  exactions  it  had  previously 
undergone.  Under  the  direction  of  the  infamous  commis 
sary,  Haller,  the  domestic  library,  museum,  furniture,  jewels, 
and  even  the  private  clothes  of  the  Pope,  were  sold."  Amid 
this  accumulation  of  disasters,  the  symbolism  of  gnawing 
their  tongues  for  pain,  does  not  appear  too  strong.  Of 
course,  we  shall  understand  that  this  anguish  was  mental, 
and  not,  of  necessity,  wholly,  or  largely,  physical. 

3.  Still  more,  if  we  cannot  see  enough  in  these  calamities, 
to  justify  this  strong  symbolism,  we  may  remember,  that  we 
have,  probably,  not  seen  all  that  is  foreshadowed.  All  was 
not  realized  in  the  revolution  of  '98.  Other  revolutions  have 
since  succeeded.  Thrice  has  the  Pope  been  compelled  to 
leave  his  capital ;  and  all  know  his  condition  to-day.  What 
may  yet  be  in  store  for  him,  of  course,  we  do  not  know ;  but 
of  this  we  may  be  well  assured,  from  what  has  already 
passed,  that  the  full  cup  of  this  anguish  must  be  drained  by 
those  men  who  have  written  the  names  of  blasphemy  so 
thickly  upon  the  seven  hills. 

I  will  call  attention  now  to  my  eighth  remark  on  this  sym 
bolism,  viz. :  That,  inasmuch  as  these  two  forms  of  despotism 
have  been  closely  united  during  their  joint  existence,  if  this 


64  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

vial  be  poured  upon  their  seat  or  source  of  life,  it  must  affect 
both  forms  throughout  the  world.  This  is  self-evident,  and 
needs  no  argument  to  prove  it.  If  the  heart  be  touched,  the 
whole  body  must,  of  course,  suffer.  It  remains  for  us  to 
trace  the  subject  further  in  history,  and  see  if  such  has 
been  the  case.  Have  great  calamities  fallen  upon  political 
and  ecclesiastical  despotism,  since  1798,  in  other  parts  of  the 
world  ?  I  must  remind  you,  again,  that  we  do  not  trace  all 
the  calamities  which  we  shall  name,  to  the  fifth  vial,  but  to 
others,  in  connection.  It  will  be  remembered,  that  some  of 
the  battles  foreshadowed  under  the  third  vial,  occurred  after 
the  above  named  year;  and  all  the  wars  of  Napoleon,  as 
foreshadowed  by  the  fourth  vial,  after  that  date.  I  have 
alluded  to,  and  shall  speak  again  of,  their  fate  in  France, 
Italy  and  Austria,  in  the  course  of  current  events.  I  call 
attention  to  Spain,  where  despotic  government  and  religious 
intolerance  have  lately  been  overthrown ;  also,  to  England, 
where  there  has  been  a  steady,  and,  for.  staid  Englishmen,  a 
rapid  advance  towards  the  full  recognition  of  the  rights  of 
the  masses.  There  have,  also,  been  encouraging  signs  of 
progress  in  other  and  minor  nations  of  Europe.  But  one 
of  the  most  cheering  indications  is  the  manumission  of  the 
serfs  in  Russia,  without  bloodshed.  When  we  heard  of  that 
great  Exodus  from  Slavery,  we  felt  like  shouting  across 
the  seas : 

Imperial  Russia,  hail  to  thy  great  Czar, 
Who  spake  the  word,  and  serfdom  ceased  to  be, 
Without  arousing  the  dread  fiends  of  war  ; 
My  native  land  extends  the  hand  to  thee. 
Thy  forty  million  serfs,  at  once  made  free, 
With  our  enfranchised  sons  of  toil,  may  raise 
Their  psalms  of  Freedom,  borne  above  the  sea, 
To  our  predestinating  God,  and  praise 
The  goodness  that  foreshows  his  wondrous  works  and  ways. 

This  was  a  great  advance.  But  a  great  work  must  yet 
be  done  in  that  extensive  Empire  before  its  Emperor  shall 
become  only  the  executive  of  the  will  of  the  people ;  and  we 
will  hope  that  all  her  advances  may  be  as  peaceful  as  this.  It 
would  be  interesting  to  trace,  more  minutely,  this  advance 
in  Europe ;  but  I  must  leave  the  subject  here. 


INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES.  65 

During  the  course  of  my  preparation  of  the  poem,  to 
which  these  lectures  are  designed  to  be,  mainly,  introduc 
tory,  a.  friend  asked  me :  "  Do  you  find  America*  in  Proph 
ecy  ?  "  I  told  him  I  had  what  seemed  to  me  a  plausible 
theory  on  that  point.  I  purpose  to  present  it  here.f  I  have 
a  good  deal  of  confidence  that  it  is  true.  But  let  me  say, 
that  I  do  not  profess  to  be  sustained  by  authority.  My 
hypothesis  must  stand  or  fall  on  its  own  merits,  as  it  is  not 
bolstered  up  by  any  great  names. 

Let  me  refer  the  reader  back  to  the  twelfth  chapter  of 
Revelation  :  J 

And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven  ;  a  woman  clothed  with 
the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of 
twelve  stars : 

And  she,  being  with  child,  cried,  travailing  in  birth,  and  pained  to  be 
delivered. 

And  there  appeared  another  wonder  in  heaven  ;  and  behold,  a  great 
red  dragon,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon  his 
heads. 

And  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  did  cast 
them  to  the  earth  ;  and  the  dragon  stood  before  the  woman  which  was 
ready  to  be  delivered,  for  to  devour  her  child  as  soon  as  it  was  born. 

And  she  brought  forth  a  man-child,  who  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a 
rod  of  iron  :  and  her  child  was  caught  up  unto  God,  and  to  his  throne. 

And  the  woman  fled  into  the  wilderness,  where  she  hath  a  place  pre 
pared  of  God,  that  they  should  feed  her  there  a  thousand  two  hundred 
and  three  score  days. 

And  there  was  war  in  heaven  :  Michael  and  his  angels  fought  against 
the  dragon  ;  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his  angels, 

And  prevailed  not ;  neither  was  their  place  found  any  more  in  heaven. 

And  the  great  dragon  was  cast  out,  that  old  serpent,  called  the  Devil, 
and  Satan,  which  deceiveth  the  whole  world  :  he  was  cast  out  into  the 
earth,  and  his  angels  were  cast  out  with  him. 

And  I  heafd  a  loud  voice,  saying  in  heaven,  Now  is  come  salvation,  and 
strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ :  for 
the  accusers  of  our  brethren  is  cast  down,  which  accused  them  before  our 
God,  day  and  night. 

And  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of 
their  testimony :  and  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death. 

Therefore,  rejoice,  ye  heavens,  and  ye  that  dwell  in  them.  Woe  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  sea  !  for  the  devil  is  come  down  unto 
you,  having  great  wrath,  because  he  knoweth  that  he  hath  but  a  short 
time. 

*  Note  45,  Canto  I,  stanza  100.  t  Note  46,  Canto  T,  stanza  100. 

$  Note  47,  Canto  I,  stanza  102. 


65  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

And  when  the  dragon  saw  that  he  was  cast  unto  the  earth,  he  perse 
cuted  the  woman  which  brought  forth  the  man-child. 

And  to  the  woman  were  given  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle,  that  she 
might  fly  into  the  wilderness,  into  her  place,  where  she  is  nourished  for  a 
time,  and  times,  and  half  a  time,  from  the  face  of  the  serpent. 

And  the  serpent  cast  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a  flood,  after  the 
woman,  that  he  might  cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of  the  flood. 

And  the  earth  helped  the  woman,  and  the  earth  opened  her  mouth,  and 
swallowed  up  the  flood  which  the  dragon  cast  out  of  his  mouth. 

And  the  dragon  was  wroth  with  the  woman,  and  went  to  make  war 
with  the  remnant  of  her  seed,  which  keep  the  commandments  of  God, 
and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ. 

I  have  already  called  your  attention  to  the  dragon,  as  a 
symbol  of  civil  despotism,  as  exercised  in  the  persecutions 
of  Pagan  Rome, — such  an  awfully  malicious  and  bloody 
power,  that  John  further  designates  it  as  the  Devil  and 
Satan.  I  showed  that  it  was  the  same  power,  under  modified 
administrations,  which  is  designated  in  the  seventeenth 
chapter,  as  "the  beast  that  was  and  is  not,  and  yet  is."  I 
hinted  at  the  fact  that  this  beast,  political  despotism,  as  a 
hindrance  to  the  progress  of  a  pure  Christianity,  would  be 
the  last  to  go  down  under  the  shock  of  the  armies  of  heaven, 
on  white  horses.  We  may  call  this  dragon  the  symbol  of 
that  which  has  another  name,  and  that  is  "  KINGLY  preroga 
tive,"  as  interpreted  by  absolutists.  It  means  the  same  as 
that  to  which  we  have  already  called  attention.  In  such  a 
connection,  a  few  notes  on  the  symbolism  will  be  interesting 
and  profitable,  though  not  coming  directly  under  my  subject. 
The  prophet  says,  "there  was  war  in  heaven."  Satan  had, 
as  of  old,  come  up  to  present  himself  before  God.  'Kingly 
prerogative  claims  that  kings  reign  by  divine  right.  Why 
not?  God  says  in  His  Word,  "By  me  kings  reign."  But 
if  we  had  His  own  interpretation  of  this  expression,  we 
should,  beyond  a  doubt,  find  it  destructive  of  the  claims  of 
absolutism.  The  first  king  which  the  Bible  tells  us  of  being 
chosen  by  divine  direction,  was  given  to  His  people  as  a 
mark  of  His  wrath.  It  would  be  pretty  hard  work  to  estab 
lish  the  divine  right  of  kings  from  such  examples,  surely. 
This  claim  was  contested  in  heaven.*  Michael  and  his 
angels  warring  with  the  dragon,  cast  him  down  to  earth, 

*  Note  49.  Canto  I,  stanza  105. 


INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES.  6/ 

though  he  had  drawn  after  himself  one-third  of  the  stars, 
who  became  the  fallen  angels,  always  on  the  side  of  wrong 
and  oppression.  Heaven  repudiated  the  claim,  and  earth 
must  become  the  theatre  of  the  contest.  "  They  overcame 
him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ;  "  /.  e.,  by  the  power  of  a 
Christianity  embodying  the  great  work  of  atonement,  des 
potism  is  to  fall.  A  woe*  is  uttered  against  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth,  because  the  devil  is  come  down  among  them, 
filled  with  great  wrath,  because  he  knoweth  his  time  is  short ; 
/'.  e.,  heaven  having  solemnly  repudiated  the  claim  that  one 
man  may  be  born  with  the  right  to  rule  over  the  body  and 
soul  of  another,  and  that  being  proclaimed  to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth,  they  will  soon  repudiate  it  too. 

Let  us  refer,  here,  to  the  woman, f  clothed  in  the  sun,  with 
the  moon  under  her  feet,  having  upon  her  head  a  crown  of 
twelve  stars.  All  agree  that  this  woman  symbolizes  the 
Church,  or  that  body  of  men  that  receives  and  practices  the 
doctrines  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles, — a  glorious  woman, 
clear  as  the  sun,  fair  as  the  moon,  and  terrible  as  an  army 
with  banners.  "  She  was  persecuted  by  the  dragon."  Des 
potism  has  instinctively  recoiled  from  the  pure  religion  of 
J  esus ;  and  in  the  Roman  Empire  it  was  a  matter  of  State 
policy  with  her  most  politic  Emperors,  to  suppress  it,  if  pos 
sible,  and  they  sought  to  do  it  by  bloody  persecutions. 
They  foresaw  what  it  would  do  to  the  Empire.  It  was  this 
instinct  which  led  that  power,  when  it  found  that  Christianity 
could  not  be  crushed,  to  corrupt  it,  and  make  it  a  Ganymede 
to  pander  to  the  lusts  of  kingly  prerogative.  So  the  great 
significancy  of  the  conversion  of  the  Roman  Empire  from 
Paganism  to  Christianity,  consisted  in  the  acknowledgment 
that  it  had  become  too  strong  to  admit  of  a  hope  of  its  ever 
being  crushed  by  violence.  The  symbols  of  the  sun,  moon 
and  stars,  must  not  be  pressed  too  far.  They  simply  show 
the  great  glory  with  which  the  Church  is  yet  to  be  sur 
rounded  and  crowned. 

When  the  dragon  began  to  persecute  the  woman,  after  he 
was  cast  down,  she  made  her  firstt  flight  to  the  wilderness, 

*  Note  50,  Canto  I,  stanza  106.  f  Note  51,  ibid. 

+  Note  52,  Canto  I,  stanza  106. 


63  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

where  she  should  be  nourished  a  thousand  two  hundred  and 
three  score  days.  Go  with  the  Church  of  Christ,  after  the 
Papacy  was  fully  installed  on  the  seven  hills ;  follow  her  into 
the  vales  of  Piedmont,  tracking  her  by  the  blood  of  her 
martyrs ;  listen  to  her  solemn  prayers  and  praises  among  the 
fastnesses  of  the  Alps,  whither  she  was  driven  by  persecu 
tion  ;  hear  her  groans  in  the  dismal  dungeons  of  the  Inquisi 
tion  of  Spain ;  see  her  flying  to  the  glens  of  Scotland ; 
behold  the  smoke  of  her  torture  rising  from  the  blood 
stained  fields  of  Bohemia,  where  the  martyr,  Huss,  was 
burned  at  the  stake  as  a  witness  for  Jesus;  see  her  contend 
ing,  with  unparalleled  bravery,  for  existence  on  the  dykes  of 
Holland;  follow  her,  in  later  times,  in  her  second  flight 
across  the  stormy  Atlantic,  in  the  cabin  of  the  Mayflower, 
to  this  then  vast  wilderness,  and  tell  me  if  you  could  find  a 
happier  symbol  of  her  than  John  has  here  furnished  us. 

I  call  your  attention,  before  proceeding  further  in  this 
line,  to  the  period  of  the  woman's  exile.*  The  days  are 
symbolic  of  years — twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years — at 
the  expiration  of  which  she  and  her  offspring  should  cease 
to  be  exiles,  and  become  the  aggressors  upon  the  persecut 
ing  powers  of  despotism.  Of  course,  the  only  difficulty  in 
knowing  when  this  event  shall  come,  consists  in  determining 
when  the  period  began.  The  task  of  fixing  the  exact  date 
of  the  full  installation  of  the  Papal  power  as  a  politico- 
religious  despotism,  as  symbolized  by  the  second  beast,  is 
difficult,  if  not  impossible.  Authorities  differ  by  a  number 
of  years.  But  all  Protestant  expositors,  so  far  as  I  know, 
place  this  event  near  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century, 
when  ecclesiastical  prerogative  made  exceedingly  rapid 
advances.  Some  of  the  dates  at  which  various  authorities 
have  fixed  this,  are  as  follows:  538,  588,  606,  610  and  629. 
Adding  the  1260  years  to  each  of  these  numbers,  gives  us 
the  following  remarkable  dates:  1798,  1848,  1866,  1870  and 
1889.  It  may  be  remarked  that  the  dates  for  the  begin 
ning  of  this  power,  were  fixed  by  the  different  authorities  in 
years  when,  according  to  the  same  authorities,  the  Papacy 
had  made  some  large  advance.  I  cannot  stop  to  point  them 

*  Note  53,  Canto  I,  stanza  106. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  69 

out  here.  The  destruction  of  the  Papacy  has  been  pre 
dicted  for  all  these  years.  It  is  worthy  of  profound  atten 
tion,  that  the  year  1798  saw  the  first  Italian  revolution,  1848 
saw  the  second,  1866  saw  Sadowa,  1870  saw  Sedan,  all  of 
which  were  tremendous  blows  upon  the  Papacy.  What  may 
occur  in  1889,  just  one  hundred  years  after  the  outpouring 
of  the  first  vial,  remains  for  the  future  to  disclose.  All  see 
what  has  been  accomplished.  Political  and  ecclesiastical 
liberty  have  been  installed  in  the  Eternal  City,  and  the  Bible 
is  freely  circulated  under  the  shadow  of  the  Vatican,  from 
which  so  many  bulls  of  suppression  have  been  thundered 
forth  in  the  name  of  religion.  Has  the  Church  yet  fully 
returned  from  her  exile  in  the  wilderness?  Or  have  civil 
and  religious  liberty  yet  to  receive  and  repel  other  shocks  ? 
I  think  they  have.  I  do  not  pretend  to  predict,  but  I  expect 
that  whoever  of  us  may  live  twenty  years,  will  see  a  des 
perate  effort  made  to  restore  the  Papacy,  undoubtedly  by 
arms,  as  that  is  their  usual  resort.  The  Jesuits  are  preach 
ing  another  crusade.  The  battle  of  Armageddon  is  yet  to 
be  fought,  and  they  may  be  the  leaders  on  the  side  of  the 
Papacy.  When,  or  how,  this  must  occur,  we  may  not  know. 
Perhaps  a  vast  army  of  loyal  Roman  Catholics  will  be  gath 
ered  together  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  into  Italy,  around 
the  walls  of  Rome.  "Where  the  carcass  is,  there  will  the 
ravens  be  gathered  together."  Victor  Emmanuel,  or  his 
successor,  would  not  stand  alone  in  opposition  to  such  a 
gathering.  Millions  would  be  arrayed  against  each  other. 
The  seventh  vial  will  be  outpoured,  and  the  powers  of  des 
potism  will  go  down  in  the  shock,  never  to  rise  again  in  the 
Christian  world;  and  Rome,  or  that  which  answers  to  the 
symbol,  will  be  destroyed  in  the  great  earthquake,  either  of 
nature,  or  civil  strife.  Then  shall  the  Church  come  up  from 
the  wilderness,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  her  Beloved,  Religious 
Liberty  leaning  on  the  arm  of  Civil  Liberty,  her  first  born 
child. 

I  ask  the  reader  to  contemplate,  one  moment  longer,  this 
remarkable  prophetic  period.  Think  of  these  calculations 
of  men  who  lived  years  before  these  great  events  occurred. 
Look  over  the  whole  civilized  world,  and  see  how  it  conforms 
to  their  expectations.  Witness  the  great  revolutions  that 


70  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

are  occurring.  See  ancient  prerogatives  destroyed,  sceptres 
broken,  crowns  torn  from  kingly  brows,  and  robbed  of  their 
jewels,  the  royal  purple  of  kings  stained,  dishonored,  covered 
with  ignominy ;  hear  the  crash,  as  tottering  thrones  are  fall 
ing,  one  by  one ;  hear  the  thunder,  as  the  political  heavens 
of  great  and  proud  empires  pass  away ;  hear  the  roar  of  the 
waves,  as  they  dash  against  the  ancient  bulwarks  of  des 
potism  ;  see  those  bulwarks  falling ;  see  religious  liberty 
unfurling  her  banners  over  the  ruins  of  the  fallen  thrones  of 
her  despotic  persecutors ;  see  the  Church  hastening  from  her 
long  exile,  and  where  is  the  stark-mad  scepticism  that  shakes 
the  head,  in  doubt  that  those  lightnings,  and  thunders,  and 
voices  are  the  same  which  John  saw  and  heard  on  Patmos, 
almost  two  thousand  years  ago.  Great  God,  we  reverently 
bow  before  the  march  of  Thine  Omnipotence,  and  acknowl 
edge  the  voice  of  Him 

"  Who  plants  his  footsteps  on  the  sea, 
And  rides  upon  the  storm." 

Thus  far  I  have  been  sustained  in  my  exposition,  on  the 
chief  points,  by  our  standard  authorities.  The  hypothesis 
I  now  advance,  is  quite  a  wide  departure  from  all,  so  far  as 
I  know.  It  is  with  reference  to  the  application  of  the  man- 
child,*  born  of  the  woman.  Some  say  that  it  foreshows  the 
increase  of  the  Church.  Some  say  that  this  child  was  a 
symbol  of  Christ  himself.  The  true  hypothesis,  probably,  is, 
that  it  foreshows  constitutional  liberty,  as  embodied  more 
perfectly  in  the  government  of  the  United  States.  Perhaps 
it  will  be  allowable  to  call  it  constitutional  government.  I 
wish  it  clearly  understood  that  I  propose  to  prove,  merely, 
that  if  it  was  the  design  of  the  prophet  to  foreshow  this 
form  of  government,  the  symbolism  is  well  adapted  to  that 
purpose. 

It  does  not  appear,  to  my  satisfaction,  that  the  birth  of 
one  child  could  be  interpreted  as  symbolical  of  a  great 
increase  of  the  family  of  God  in  the  world.  While,  if  it 
should  be  made  to  symbolize  the  evolution  of  some  potent 
principle  in  human  affairs,  the  symbolism  would  seem  more 

*  Note  54,  Canto  I,  stanza  109. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  71 

appropriate.  Besides,  if  this  symbolize  the  mere  increase 
of  numbers,  it  will  be  difficult  to  explain  the  meaning  of  the 
child  being  caught  up  unto  God  and  unto  His  throne.  If  it 
denote  increase  of  the  Church,  then  it  is  a  part  of  the 
woman  herself  that  was  thus  caught  up,  as  the  woman  sym 
bolizes  the  Church,  which  would  be  an  incongruity  hardly  to 
be  admitted. 

Let  us,  then,  briefly  examine  the  symbols  in  connection 
with  this,  and  see  whether  they  will  sustain  the  hypothesis, 
that  the  man-child  represents  a  government  of  free  insti 
tutions,  as  it  finds  its  nearest  embodiment  in  our  own. 
We  will  take  them  in  their  order,  as  mentioned  in  their 
connection. 

1.  This  would  most  satisfactorily  explain  why  the  dragon 
stood  ready  to  devour  the  child  as  soon  as  ever  it  was  born. 
Despotism,  symbolized  by  the  dragon,  and  such  a  govern 
ment,  where  all  the  citizens  are  equal  before  the  law,  are 
mortal  enemies.     They  cannot  co-exist.     One  must  destroy 
the  other.     All  know  that  the  instincts  of  despotism  have 
ever  been  to  destroy  republicanism  as  soon  as  ever  it  has 
been  born. 

2.  All  know  that  our  republican  government,  so  far  as  it 
is  purely  republican,  was  mainly  the  offspring  of  the  Church 
which  came  to  these  shores  in  the  cabin  of  the  Mayflower. 
And,    as^  yet,    no    other    government,    so    nearly    answering 
to  the  ideal  of  a  model    republic,  has  been  given   to   the 
world. 

3.  The  child  should  rule  the  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron, 
that  is,  his  influence  was  finally  to  become  strong  and  con 
trolling  over  the  world.     This  does  not  necessarily  demand 
that  this,  or  any  other  republic,  or  form  of  civil  government, 
should    extend   its    empire    over   the    world  by  intrigue   or 
arms.     The  symbol  will  be  entirely  fulfilled,  if  its  influence 
should  mould  the  destiny  of  other  nations.     What  are  the 
facts  with  reference  to  this  point  ?     Does  not  every  school 
boy  know  that  the  influence  of  the  United  States  is  revolu 
tionizing  the  world  ?     It  is  true  that  there  have  always  been 
aspirations  in  the  human  heart  after  liberty,  but  not  until  the 
blessed  doctrines  of  Jesus  began   to  permeate  the  masses, 
were  they  after  an  equal  liberty  for  all.     The  reoublics  cf 


TJHIVBESITY 


72  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

Greece  were  sustained  upon  a  system  of  the  abject  slavery 
of  large  masses  of  the  population.  The  republics  of  Car 
thage  and  of  Rome  had  similar  defects  in  their  internal 
constitution,  and  only  became  powerful  by  ceaseless  success 
ful  aggressions  upon  their  neighbors.  The  Dutch  Republic, 
so  admirably  set  forth  by  Motley,  came  very  much  nearer  a 
realization  of  the  ideal,  because  it  was  so  strongly  leavened 
ivith  the  Christianity  of  the  Bible.  But  it  did  not  approxi 
mate  the  ideal  so  nearly,  nor  attain  so  commanding  an  influ 
ence,  as  our  own  republic. 

We  may  see,  from  the  above,  that  the  symbolism  of  ruling 
the  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron  (or  with  a  wide  and  control 
ling  influence)  is  fully  satisfied  by  the  Republic  of  North 
America.  This  subject  might  be  indefinitely  extended,  but 
I  must  hasten. 

4.  This  also  better  explains  the  child's  being  caught  up 
to  God  and  to  His  throne.      The  Church  gave  birth  to  the 
principle,  but  wandered  in  the  wilderness  a  thousand  years 
before  any  extensive  attempt  was  made  to  form  a  Christian 
Republic.     But  the  principle  was  preserved  by  the  especial 
oversight  of  God,  as  if  it  had  been  protected  by  the  shadow 
of   His  eternal  throne,  until  the  time  of  the  exile    of  the 
Church  should  cease,  when  it  should  assert  its  sway  in  the 
world.     I  have  already  noticed  the  flight  of  the  woman  into 
the  wilderness,  and  her  stay.     In  due  time  her  son  should  be 
restored  to  her,  and  she  and  he — religious  liberty,  as  "enjoyed 
in  the  true  Church  of  Christ,  and  constitutional  government, 
the  offspring  of  Christianity — Mother  and  Son  shall  go  forth, 
hand  in  hand,  to  rule  the  world,  casting  their  sunlight  over 
its  shadows,  or  cheering  its  night  with  the  mild   radiance 
which  shines  from  the  stars  which  glitter  in  her  crown.     Is 
not  the  day  coming  ?     Is  it  not  almost  here  ? 

5.  We  find  that  the  dragon,  after  the  conflict  described 
in  this  chapter,   which  probably  foreshadows    the  times  of 
Luther,  filled  with  wrath,  renewed  his  aggressions  in  fearful 
persecutions  of  the  woman.     It  was  after  this  that  the  awful 
persecution  of  the  Huguenots,  in  France,  assumed  its  most 
atrocious  form,  terminating  in  the  infamy  and  horror  of  St. 
Bartholomew's  Day,  enacting  one  of  the  most    stupendous 
crimes  in  history.     After  this,  too,  Spain,  in  the  meridian  oi 


INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES.  73 

her  glory  and  power,  waged  her  atrocious  wars  against  the 
Dutch  Republic.  And  let  it  be  remembered  that  it  was  from 
Holland  that  the  Church,  in  the  Mayflower,  first  started  in 
her  flight  to  this  country,  and  from  France  that  the  Huguenots 
came,  who  settled  in  various  parts  of  the  Carolinas,  and 
planted  Christian  institutions  there,  flying  from  the  persecu 
tion  of  the  dragon  of  despotism. 

6.  I  ask  attention  to  a  still  more  striking  symbolism. 
After  the  dragon  had  renewed  his  persecutions  upon  the 
woman,  to  her  were  given  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle,*  that 
she  might  fly  into  the  wilderness,  into  her  place,  where  "  she 
is  nourished  a  time  and  times  and  a  half  time  from  the  face 
of  the  serpent."  This  is  the  same  period,  under  a  different 
symbol,  that  is  mentioned  in  the  sixth  verse.  As  interpreted, 
a  year,  two  years,  and  a  half  year,  which  would  be  the  forty 
and  two  months  of  Daniel.  Thirty  days  to  the  month  would 
give  us  the  1260  days  already  mentioned.  This  is  called  her 
second  flight  because  it  is  different  from  anything  heretofore 
recorded  of  her.  We  contend  that  this  symbolizes  her  flight 
to  this  country.  I  find  that  I  am  sustained  here  by  Andrew 
Fuller,  who  remarks  on  this  passage,  "  If  one  place  was  more 
distinguished  than  another  as  affording  shelter  for  the  woman 
during  this,  her  second  flight,  I  suspect  it  was  North  America, 
where  the  Church  of  Christ  has  been  nourished,  and  may  con 
tinue  to  be  nourished,  during  the  remainder  of  the  1260  years." 
But  the  most  striking  feature  of  the  symbolism  seemed  to 
escape  him — the  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle.  I  demand  of 
any  who  may  be  skeptical,  if  it  can  be  rationally  called  a  mere 
coincidence  that  the  Church,  thus  flying  into  the  wilderness, 
has  given  birth  to  a  great  Republic,  whose  national  symbol  is 
the  king  of  the  air.  Not  as  it  was  perched  upon  the  stand 
ards  of  old  Rome  and  of  some  modern  nations,  but  with  his 
wide  pinions  spread  in  grand  and  rapid  flight.  /  dare  not 
call  it  a  coincidence.  And  when  I  look  at  the  device  which 
I  have  often  seen,  of  a  great  strong  eagle,  bearing  on  his 
back,  between  his  wide-spread  wings,  the  Goddess  of  Liberty, 
personated  by  a  beautiful  woman,  wrapped  in  the  starry 
splendors  of  our  national  banner,  and  wearing  upon  her  sweet 

*  Note  55,  Canto  I,  stanza  in. 


74  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

brow  the  escutcheon  of  the  nation,  on  which  appear  the  stars 
and  stripes  which  glitter  on  the  flag,  I  think  of  that  beautiful 
woman  of  prophecy,  "  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon 
under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars," 
flying  to  the  wilderness  on  "  the  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle, 
where  she  is  nourished  for  a  time  and  times  and  a  half  time 
from  the  face  of  the  serpent." 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  75 


VIII. 

AMERICA  IN  PROPHECY.— Continued. 
REV.  xvi.  10,  n. 

I  MAY  as  well  ask  here,  if  it  was  the  design  of  Revelation 
to  disclose,  by  appropriate  symbols,  the  future  history  of  the 
world,  as  it  relates  to  the  progress  of  Christianity  and  its 
final  triumph,  is  it  not  highly  probable,  that  a  nation,  that 
has  had  such  an  influence  as  ours,  in  breaking  down  the  bar 
riers  to  such  progress,  would  be  set  forth  by  some  important 
and  striking  symbolism  ?  I  answer,  unhesitatingly,  it  is,  and 
I  will  give  my  reason. 

I  affirm,  what  must  seem  reasonable  to  all,  that  a  country 
of  such  vast  extent,  such  unbounded  resources,  such  great 
population,  as  this  is  likely  to  sustain — which  has  already 
done  more  for  the  spread  of  a  pure  Christianity,  and  weak 
ened  the  powers  of  despotism  more  than  any  other  nation — 
could  not  have  been  overlooked  by  the  All-seeing  Eye,  when 
he  wrote  that  book  which  John  saw  in  the  hand  of  Him 
which  sat  upon  the  throne.  It,  therefore,  seems  to  me  nearly 
certain  that  the  symbolism  we  have  been  considering,  has 
reference  to  this  country. 

It  will  appear  still  more  plainly,  as  we  proceed. 

We  find  that,  after  the  woman's  second  flight,  "the  serpent* 
cast  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a  flood,  after  her,  that  he 
might  cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of  the  flood."  This  is  a 
very  interesting  and  important  passage.  It  contains  a  pecu 
liar  symbolism,  and  requires  something  unusual  in  the 
conduct  of  the  powers  of  despotism,  to  explain  it.  Barnes 
says  :  "  The  figure  here  would  well  represent  the  malice  of 
the  Papal  body  against  the  Church,  in  those  dark  ages  when 

*  Note  56,  Canto  I,  stanza  115. 


76  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

it  was  sunk  in  obscurity,  and,  as  it  were,  driven  out  into  the 
desert.  That  malice  never  slumbered,  but  was  continually 
manifested  in  some  new  form,  as  if  it  were  the  purpose  of 
Papal  Rome  to  sweep  it  entirely  away."  This  exposition, 
though  having  great  weight,  is  still  unsatisfactory.  I  find 
nothing  in  the  history  of  the  Church,  during  the  dark  ages, 
which  might  not  have  been  repeated  a  half  score  of  times,  at 
all  calculated  to  satisfy  the  demand  of  the  symbolism.  There 
was  no  great  movement  of  floods  sent  out  from  the  bosom 
of  despotism,  to  drown  the  Church,  which  would  seem  to  me 
to  justify  this  figure. 

This  chapter  is  a  synopsis  of  all  that  comes  after  it ;  and 
the  events  shadowed  in  this  symbolism,  should  not  occur  in 
the  dark  ages,  but  much  later.  In  order  to  substantiate  my 
views,  I  call  attention  to  the  general  structure  of  the  whole 
book.  After  five  introductory  chapters,  containing  epistles 
to  the  seven  Churches  of  Asia,  and  other  important  matters, 
three  §ets  of  symbols,  of  seven  each,  run  through  the  rest  of 
the  book:  ist.  The  opening  of  the  seven  seals,  with  which 
the  book  in  the  hand  of  Him  who  sat  upon  the  throne,  was 
sealed.  2d.  The  seven  trumpets.  3d.  The  seven  vials  of 
the  wrath  of  God.  Each  set  of  symbols  ends  with  the  final 
consummation  of  all  things.  For  instance :  the  opening  of 
six  seals  of  the  book,  occupies  the  sixth  and  seventh  chapters, 
and,  together  with  the  opening  of  the  seventh  seal,  gives  us 
a  general  glance  of  the  whole  history  of  the  Church.  In  the 
eighth  chapter,  the  prophet  enlarges  upon  the  events  of  the 
seventh  seal,  by  the  introduction  of  the  seven  trumpets.  He 
does  not  repeat  anything  back  of  the  seventh  seal,  but  speci 
fies,  more  particularly,  what  he  has  already,  in  a  general 
manner,  hinted  at.  The  next  three  chapters  are  filled  with 
a  description  of  the  sounding  of  these  trumpets.  The 
account  of  the  sounding  of  the  seventh,  is  found  in  the 
last  part  of  the  eleventh  chapter,  in  the  following  language : 
"  And  the  seventh  angel  sounded,  and  there  were  great 
voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are 
become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ,  and  He 
shall  reign  forever  and  ever."  This  brings  us,  also,  to  the 
close  of  the  contest,  which  must,  consequently,  carry  us  for 
ward  over  the  events  covered  by  the  seven  vials.  Com- 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  77 

mencing  with  the  twelfth  chapter,  a  more  minute  delineation 
of  events  already  hinted  at,  is  given,  and  the  fuller  history 
of  the  Church  disclosed  in  the  seven  vials.  Thus,  the  open 
ing  of  the  seventh  seal  includes  all  that  is  comprehended  in 
the  sounding  of  the  trumpets  and  the  outpouring  of  the 
vials.  The  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet  includes  all 
that  is  comprehended  in  the  seven  vials. 

You  will  observe  that  the  twelfth  chapter  introduces  a  new 
series  of  visions,  and,  as  Barnes  says,  is  properly  introduc 
tory  to  all  that  comes  after, — as  we  have  called  it  a  synopsis 
of  the  whole.  There  is,  therefore,  no  necessity  of  looking 
for  the  fulfillment  of  the  passage  we  are  considering,  in  the 
dark  ages  of  the  Church.  I  think  it  comes  more  naturally 
towards  the  close  of  the  period,  largely,  as  I  am  contending, 
during  the  period  covered  by  the  fifth  vial.  After  coming  to 
this  conclusion,  I  was  very  happy  to  find  the  following  in  the 
writings  of  Andrew  Fuller :  "  The  flood  of  waters  cast  after 
the  woman  by  the  dragon,  and  the  war  upon  the  remnant  of 
her  seed,  referring,  as  it  appears,  to  the  latter  end  of  the 
twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years,  may  be  something  yet  to 
come." 

With  reference  to  the  flood  of  waters,  you  find  that  the 
abandoned  woman  of  the  seventeenth  chapter  is  represented 
as  seated  upon  many  waters.  The  angel  himself,  in  that 
chapter,  interprets  this  symbolism  to  John :  "  The  waters 
which  thou  sawest  are  peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  nations, 
and  tongues."  If  the  floods  of  waters  there  means  multi 
tudes  of  peoples,  it  must  mean  the  same  here.  The  power 
which  persecuted  the  woman,  sent  after  her  a  multitude  of 
men,  of  nations,  and  peoples,  and  tongues,  to  overbear  her, 
live  her  down,  sweep  her  away  as  with  a  flood.  Note, 
narrowly : 

i.  That  these  waters  were  cast  out  of  the  dragon's  mouth, 
or  from  the  midst  of  the  power  which  overspread  so  large  a 
portion  of  Europe.  The  multitudes  went,  at  the  instigation 
or  command  from  his  mouth.  They  were  separated  from 
the  place  where  he  had  his  seat,  as  if — the  woman  having 
fled  beyond  where  he  could  go  after  her  in  person — he 
should  send  his  emissaries  after  her,  in  great  multitudes,  to 
destroy  her. 


78  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

2.  That  there  was  no  country  in  Europe  into  which  this 
power  had  sent  its  emissaries  to  suppress  the  true  Church,  in 
sufficient  numbers  to  justify  this  figure.  Hence,  it  does  not 
relate  to  anything  that  has  yet  occurred  there. 

Let  the  hypothesis  be  kept  in  mind,  that  the  dragon  repre 
sents  the  persecuting  powers  of  despotism,  which  see  in  the 
true  Church  a  mortal  enemy,  and  are  striving  to  destroy 
both  her  and  her  offspring,  and  we  will  see  if  there  is  any 
thing  in  the  history  of  our  own  country  which  justifies  such 
a  symbolism. 

1.  The   vanguard    of   the    floods,   which    came    to    this 
country  at  the  behest  of  despotism,*  were  the  negroes — the 
victims  of  American  slavery.     It  was  the  minions  of  des 
potism  from  over  the  sea  that  planted  slavery  here.     No 
matter  if  it  was   Protestant   England.     She  was  under  the 
curse  of  the  dragon's  power,  and  had  not  yet  been  emanci 
pated    from    ecclesiastical    despotism,    for   she    persecuted. 
Besides,  let  us  remember  that  it  was  not  so  much  ecclesi 
astical  as  political  despotism,  which  was  active  against  the 
liberties  of  mankind  in  those  days,  here,  which  will  justify 
the  use  of  the  dragon  as  a  symbol,  instead  of  the    beast 
which  is  afterwards  introduced.     So  despotism  sent  here  its 
multitudes  of  blacks,  as  essential  to  the  system  of  slavery 
that   was    to    blight    our   name,    blacken    our    annals,    and 
threaten  our  existence.     That  this  came  from  the  heart  of 
the  dragon,  no  one  can  doubt. 

2.  Then,  after  the  Church  had  been  nourished  here  in 
this  wilderness  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  and  God  was 
about  to  restore  her  offspring,  constitutional  liberty,  to  her, 
English  and  Hessian  armies,  sent  here  in  the  service  of  des 
potism,   swarmed   our  lands  and  darkened   our   waters,  to 
swallow  up  the  man-child  that  was  about  to  commence  his 
career  in  the  world.     It  was  England's  purpose  to  sweep 
away  the  woman's  offspring  as  with  a  flood. 

No  one  can  fail  to  see  that  these  events  very  plausibly 
satisfy  the  demands  of  this  symbolism,  yet  not  in  full.  We 
ought  to  find  something  which  has  a  more  direct  aim  at  the 
destruction  of  the  woman  than  either  of  these.  England's 

*  Note  57,  Canto  I,  stanza  121. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  79 

aim  was  not  at  the  Church,  but  to  the  end  of  keeping  the 
colonies  in  a  state  of  vassalage,  under  the  foot  of  the 
dragon.  The  devil  saw  that  political  despotism  would  serve 
his  end  here,  and  he  used  it.  But  to  meet  the  demands  of 
the  case  more  fully,  we  should  expect  that  he  would  bring 
some  other  agencies  into  operation. 

3.  We  find  these  in  what  is  transpiring  among  us — in  the 
multitudes  of  Papists  which  pour  a  ceaseless  flood  upon  our 
shores  every  year,  and  in  the  wily  designs*  and  far-seeing 
policy  of  the  Papacy,  with  reference  to  our  country.  Their 
designs  will  be  futile  and  their  policy  will  be  balked,  I  fully 
believe ;  but  who  does  not  know  that  Jesuitism  aims  at  the 
control  of  this  country,  through  the  waters  which  the  dragon 
has  thus  cast  forth,  to  cause  the  woman  to  be  carried  away 
of  the  flood?  Who  does  not  know  that  they  are  making 
their  boasts  that  it  is  only  a  question  of  time  when  their 
minions  shall  be  installed  in  the  high  places  of  trust  in  our 
land?  Who  does  not  know  that  they  look  to  the  swelling 
of  these  waters  by  more  rapid  multiplication  among  us,  for 
the  flood  which  shall  sweep  our  Protestant  religion  from  the 
high  vantage  ground  it  has  hitherto  occupied  ?  Who  does 
not  know  that  the  physical  deterioration  of  American 
women,  from  following  the  wretched  fashions  and  modes 
of  life  adopted  here,  and  from  the  unnatural  aversion  to 
the  burdens  of  maternity,  inducing,  in  some  cases,  a  crime 
at  which  the  unperverted  heart  revolts  with  horror,  and 
should  make  every  true  mother  turn  pale  at  the  thought  of 
it — prevailing  among  those  who  lead  society — enters  as  a 
large  element  into  their  calculation  of  this  result?  And 
what  man,  with  his  eyes  open,  does  not  see  that  there  is 
danger  in  this  direction  ? 

This  subject  is  of  such  vital  importance  to  Americans, f 
that  I  feel  constrained  to  enlarge  somewhat  more  upon  it. 
But  first  I  must  be  allowed  to  say  that  I  do  not  claim  that 
these  symbols  have  an  entire  reference  to  our  country.  The 
utmost  I  would  claim  is  that  they  have  a  more  striking 
resemblance  to  the  events  of  our  history  than  to  any  others 
that  have  occurred.  There  is  no  other  nation  on  the  pages 

*  Note  58,  Canto  I,  stanza  150.  t  Note  59,  Canto  I,  stanza  150. 


SO  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

of  history,  since  the  flight  of  Israel  from  Egypt,  which 
originated  from  a  body  of  men  flying  from  religious  persecu 
tion.  The  resemblance  is  too  striking  to  pass  unnoticed. 
But  the  Church  belongs  to  the  whole  world.  As  the  theatre 
of  her  conflicts,  foreshadowed  in  the  first  part  of  this  chapter, 
was  the  whole  Christian  world,  so  I  believe  that  the  theatre 
of  the  war  waged  by  the  dragon  upon  the  woman  and  her 
seed,  mentioned  in  the  last  part  of  the  chapter,  will  be  the 
whole  Christian  world  greatly  enlarged.  My  principal  aim 
has  been  to  show  that  America  was  one  of  the  chief  objects 
which  passed  before  the  prophet's  vision  in  these  peculiar 
symbols. 

Let  us  look  a  little  more  closely  at  the  designs  of  Rome* 
upon  our  Protestant  religion.  The  intelligent  student  need 
not  be  reminded  that  the  Papal  hierarchy  are,  and  have 
always  been,  enemies  of  republican  institutions.  The  con 
trolling  power  of  a  great  Church,  which  acknowledges  a 
head  who  claims  infallibility,  cannot  be  otherwise  than  an 
unmitigated  despotism  in  itself.  No  subject  has  a  right  to 
think,  or  speak,  or  act  for  himself,  if  he  thinks,  speaks,  or 
acts  contrary  to  the  will  of  the  Pope.  All  must  bend  in 
abject  obeisance  to  him.  They  are  bound  by  their  oath  to 
the  Church  to  believe  whatever  he  tells  them  is  the  will  of 
Heaven.  Now,  the  very  essence  of  republican  institutions 
is  the  right  to  think,  speak,  and  act  for  one's  self,  upon 
individual  responsibility,  only  restrained  from  actions  which 
would  come  in  conflict  with  some  of  the  natural  rights  of 
others.  This  is  the  pre-eminent  distinction  of  such  institu 
tions.  This  right  opens  the  Bible  to  all,  secures  to  all  a 
right  to  read  and  interpret  it  for  themselves,  secures  free 
speech  to  all,  eventuates  in  free  schools  for  the  masses,  and 
of  course  covers  the  whole,  and  makes  them  all  available  to 
each  citizen  by  guaranteeing  to  him  his  own  personal  liberty, 
when  not  forfeited  by  crime.  To  be  sure,  the  Jesuits,  who 
so  largely  control  the  Papacy,  being  cutters  and  trimmers, 
can  manage  to  live  under  all  forms  of  human  government, 
and  yield  an  external  obedience  to  the  powers  that  be.  So 
they  live,  and  profess  to  be  loyal  under  our  form  of  govern- 

*  Note. 60,  Canto  I,  stanza  150. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  Si 

ment.  But  who  cannot  see  that  they  are  enemies  to  free 
institutions.*  Their  aversion  to  an  open  Bible  is  unmis 
takably  declared  by  their  efforts  to  banish  it  from  our  public 
schools.  Their  plea  that  our  version  is  a  sectarian  book  is 
glaringly  insincere,  since  they  refuse  to  allow  their  own  ver 
sion  a  place  there.  That  they  are  the  declared  enemies  of 
our  free  schools  is  also  notorious.  That  they  would  destroy 
them  if  they  could,  needs  no  better  proof  than  we  have 
already.  They  know  very  well  that  an  educated  constitu 
ency  are  not  always  going  to  be  held  in  their  leading  strings. 
They  know  as  well  that  if  the  educated  classes  of  Catholic 
countries  are  attached  to  the  Papacy,  it  is  because,  being 
privileged  classes,  they  would  use  that  Church  to  keep  their 
vassals  ignorant  of  their  rights  to  secure  a  continuance  of 
their  vassalage.  That  they  deny  the  right  of  free  discussion 
is  notorious,  and  that  they  would  rob  men  of  it  if  they  could 
needs  no  argument  to  show. 

Now  every  schoolboy  must  know  that  if  an  open  Bible,f 
free  schools  and  free  speech  be  taken  from  our  people, 
republican  institutions  will  be  impossible.  Let  it  be  under 
stood  that  every  attempt  upon  these  things  in  this  country 
is  made  by  the  enemies  of  the  Republic,  whatever  their 
professions  may  be.  Put  it  down  as  one  of  the  swellings 
and  ebullitions  of  the  waters  with  which  the  dragon  would 
carry  away  the  woman.  I  have  very  little  doubt  of  the 
significancy  of  these  symbols  in  this  direction. 

These  symbols  properly  suggest  the  methods  with  which 
they  hope  to  accomplish  their  work.  A  flood  symbolizes  a 
vast  number  of  people.  If  they  hope  to  carry  away  our 
Protestant  religion,  it  is  by  vastly  preponderating  numbers. £ 
In  a  country  where  all  have  a  right  to  the  ballot-box,  this 
can  be  done  as  soon  as  they  have  a  majority,  unless  the 
minority  resist  by  force,  which  would  be  revolutionary. 
They  already  have  that  majority  in  some  of  our  largest 
cities,  which  are  as  much  under  Papal  rule  as  Madrid  or 
Paris  ever  was.  If  the  dragon  could  flood  our  ballot-boxes, 
he  would  undoubtedly  accomplish  his  purposes  in  this  direc 
tion.  That  he  is  pouring  his  floods  upon  our  shores  for  this 

*  Note  61,  Canto  I,  stanza  151.  t  Note  62,  Canto  I.  stanza  152. 

j  Note  63,   Caton  I.  stanza  155. 


82  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

purpose  no  sensible  man,  Roman  Catholic  or  Protestant, 
doubts  for  a  moment. 

The  propriety  of  this  interpretation  is  also  suggested  by 
the  vigor  of  the  institutions  and  the  persistency  of  the 
appliances  with  which  the  Papacy  seeks  to  outweigh  us.  To 
see  the  churches,*  monasteries,  colleges,  and  other  public 
buildings  they  are  erecting  all  over  the  land,  and  especially 
in  our  Western  States,  a  stranger  would  almost  conclude 
that  he  had  sat  down  in  a  Roman  Catholic  country.  The 
manner  of  their  building  and  the  permanency  of  their 
structures  show  conclusively  that  they  hope  to  possess  the 
land.  But  I  predict  from  these  prophecies  that  these  very 
structures  will  be  used  by  the  children  of  these  zealous 
Papists  for  the  promotion  of  a  purer  and  better  religion, — 
the  religion  of  Jesus  purged  from  the  abuses  with  which 
the  Papacy  has  loaded  it. 

I  invite  attention  for  a  moment  to  the  next  verse  :  "  And 
the  earth  helped  the  woman;  and  the  earth  opened  her 
mouth  and  swallowed  up  the  flood  which  the  dragon  cast 
out  of  his  mouth."  Earthquakes,  as  symbols  in  the  Word 
of  God,  mean  civil  commotions,  convulsions,  revolutions  and 
wars.  These  things  should  help  the  Church,  though  not 
made  in  her  behalf,  but  for  ambitious  purposes.  WTe  have 
seen  that  the  revolutions  and  wars  foreshadowed  by  the 
outpouring  of  the  vials,  thus  far,  though  for  the  most  part 
not  undertaken  in  behalf  of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  have 
invariably  resulted  in  disaster  to  despotism. 

How  has  it  been  in  the  crises  of  our  own  history  ?  How 
was  it  in  the  Revolutionary  War?  Much  as  we  revere  and 
praise  the  valor  and  glory  of  our  revolutionary  fathers,  if  we 
are  good  students  of  history,  we  shall  have  to  admit  that  our 
cause  must  have  failed,  if  the  earth,  in  the  sense  of  this  pas 
sage,  had  not  helped  the  cause  of  religion  and  liberty.  It 
was  the  rivalry  of  England  and  France  which,  under  God, 
delivered  us.  If  it  had  not  been  for  French  aid  and  sym 
pathy,  after  the  successful  battle  of  Saratoga — which  afforded 
them  an  excuse  for  interfering  in  our  behalf — the  cloud  of 
despotism,  humanly  speaking,  would  net  have  lifted  off  our 
land. 

*  Note  64,  Canto  I,  stanza  155. 


INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES.  83 

So  in  our  second  struggle  with  England,  she  had  Napoleon 
Bonaparte  on  her  hands,  or  the  result  might  have  been 
different  then. 

So  also  the  earth  helped  the  cause  of  Freedom  in  our 
great  Rebellion.  Neither  party  was  fighting  directly  for 
Emancipation.  Doubtless,  if  the  few  friends  of  such  a 
measure  had  taken  the  sword  to  promote  it,  they  would  all 
have  perished  by  the  sword.  It  was  the  rivalry  of  great 
political  parties,  which  precipitated  the  fearful  war.  Defend 
ing  the  institution  of  Slavery,  was,  for  the  most  part,  only  a 
pretext  with  Southern  leaders,  their  real  object  being  per 
sonal  ambition,  while  the  armies  of  the  Union  were  mainly 
fighting  for  its  integrity.  Every  one  knows  that  there  were 
thousands  among  the  latter,  who  would  not  have  struck  a 
blow,  if  that  had  been  the  distinct  issue  in  the  beginning, 
unless  it  had-  been  on  the  other  side — enough,  doubtless,  to 
have  turned  the  scale  against  us.  But  the  earth  helped  the 
seed  of  the  woman,  and  Slavery  sunk  under  the  fifth  vial  of 
Almighty  wrath.  So,  doubtless,  it  will  be  in  all  future  con 
flicts  with  the  Papacy. 


84  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURE  S. 


IX. 

PARIS   UNDER   THE  FIFTH  VIAL. 
REV.  xvi.  10,  ii. 

BEFORE  proceeding  with  this  subject,  we  will  remark  a  little 
further  with  reference  to  the  earth's  helping  the  woman.  We 
reverted  to  several  particular  instances  of  this,  in  our  last, 
and  hinted  that,  by  some  such  interpretation,  it  might  be 
expected  that  the  cause  of  truth  would  be  helped  in  all  the 
future  conflicts  with  the  Papacy.  We  have  a  remarkable 
record  of  the  kind  now  to  make.  The  same  political  earth 
quake  which  swallowed  up  those  who  defended  domestic 
Slavery  among  us,  threw  into  our  body  politic  a  counter 
acting  flood,  to  balance  at  the  polls  the  floods  with  which 
the  Papacy  would  seek  to  carry  our  Protestant  religion  away. 
I  allude  to  the  four  million  blacks,  whose  volume  before,  in 
point  of  numbers,  was  cast  by  their  masters  into  the  flood 
which  was  seeking  to  engulf  Freedom,  in  the  increased  suf 
frage  their  slaves  gave  to  them.  And  as  in  the  case  of 
Emancipation,  no  one  thought  of  protecting  the  Protestant 
religion  by  this  movement.  It  was  still  the  rivalry  of  parties 
seeking  to  gain,  or  hold,  the  seats  of  power.  Yet  such 
has,  undoubtedly,  been  the  result.  The  Irish  and  African 
elements  (I  speak  without  disrespect  to  either)  will  not  for 
many  years,  if  ever,  be  ranged  under  the  same  party  ban 
ners — such  is  the  antagonism  between  them.  Pat — "  niver  a 
bit  of  it " — is  going  to  the  polls  to  vote  on  the  same  side  with 
Sambo.  The  political  party  which  would  have  one,  must 
inevitably  do  that  which  will  cut  it  off  from  sympathy  with 
the  other.  And  this  state  of  things  must  continue  until  Pat 
rises  above  the  narrow  prejudices  which  persuade  him  that  he 
has  a  right  to  monopolize  all  the  labor  in  the  country,  and 
he  is  taught  that  other  races  have  a  right  to  our  broad  land 
as  well  as  the  Celtic.  Until  then,  Protestant  Sambo,  who 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  85 

can  now  count  about  as  many  fingers  in  the  political  pie  as 
Papistical  Pat,  will  serve  as  a  strong  check  upon  any  designs 
which  Jesuits  have  upon  this  country,  through  Pat's  help 
at  the  polls.  Then  we  may  confidently  expect  that  Pat 
will  pass  his  minority  and  conclude  to  set  up  for  himself — 
/.  <?.,  think,  act  and  vote  for  himself,  and  not  as  designing 
Jesuitism  secretly  points  out. 

Mark  how  the  malice  of  Satan  overreached  itself  in  this 
instance — how  Satan  cast  out  Satan.  We  have  seen  how 
political  and  ecclesiastical  despotism  have  been  twin  sisters 
during  their  joint  existence ;  how  they  have  supported  each 
other;  how  that  which  has  helped  one  has  always  helped  the 
other,  and  how  that  which  has  hurt  one  has  hurt  the  other. 
Satan  instigated  greedy  despotism  to  plant  Slavery  here,  so 
as  to  doom  this  country  to  the  most  odious  form  of  tyranny 
that  ever  existed,  and,  to  human  view,  he  came  near  suc 
ceeding,  for  it  dominated  this  country  for  more  than  a  half 
century.  But  this  political  earthquake  which  swallowed  up 
Slavery,  by  enfranchising  its  victims,  struck  the  first  great 
and  stunning  blow  upon  the  Papacy  in  this  country,  /.  e.,  pro 
vided  Protestants  take  care  of  these  forming  elements  of 
political  power. 

This  same  blind  prejudice  may  be  preparing  another  stun 
ning  blow  upon  this  intriguing  power,  in  the  case  of  John 
Chinaman,  who  may  yet  become  a  lad  of  some  importance, 
toward  whom  Pat  is  showing  the  same  hostility  which  he  has 
manifested  toward  the  negro.  At  any  rate,  if  our  interpre 
tation  of  this  symbolism  be  correct,  we  may  rest  entirely 
assured  that  the  earth  will  help  the  woman  and  her  seed,  and 
open  her  mouth  and  swallow  up  the  flood  which  the  dragon 
cast  out  of  his  mouth,  so  that  neither  she  nor  her  offspring 
will  be  carried  away  of  the  flood. 

We  now  return  to  notice  more  directly  the  symbolism  of 
the  fifth  vial. 

I  call  attention  to  my  ninth  remark  on  this,  viz. :  That  we 
should  not  expect  that  it  would  work  the  entire  destruction  of 
the  anti-Christian  powers,  those  hindrances  which  have  been 
in  the  way  of  Christianity.  It  would  only  greatly  weaken 
them.  They  were  still  alive  amid  the  darkness — they  gnawed 
their  tongues  for  pain,  they  could  still  blaspheme  the 


86  INTRODUCTORY     LECTURES. 

name  of  God,  because  of  their  pains  and  their  sores,  and 
they  repented  not  of  their  deeds.  The  beast  which  has 
lived  so  long  must  die  a  hard  death.  Even  when  the  spear 
of  Saint  George  (to  use  one  of  their  own  legends  as  an 
illustration)  has  transfixed  the  heart  of  the  dragon,  his  dying 
agonies  will  shake  the  world,  cast  down  the  stars  of  heaven, 
(thrones  and  empires,)  and  cause  the  earth  to  open  her  mouth 
and  swallow  up  the  city  of  the  seven  hills,  whereon  he  has  had 
his  seat.  He  may  now  have  received  his  mortal  wound,  and 
the  future  great  struggles  foreshadowed  in  the  next  vials 
may  be  his  dying  agonies.  What  they  may  be  we  cannot 
predict.  But  we  may  judge  of  their  general  character  from 
what  has  already  occurred.  If  former  symbols  foreshadow 
civil  convulsions,  we  must,  of  course,  look  for  something 
similar  in  the  future.  Neither  can  we  tell  when  they  will 
occur.  But  one  thing  we  know  certainly,  and  that  is,  they 
will  work  the  utter  destruction  of  all  anti-Christian  powers. 

I  now  call  attention  to  my  tenth,  and  last,  remark  upon 
the  symbolism  of  the  fifth  vial,  viz. :  That  the  calamities 
would  not  make  the  persons  affected  by  them  any  better. 
In  their  agony  they  blasphemed  the  God  of  hftaven,  and 
repented  not  of  their  deeds. 

I  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  Papacy  is  still  blas 
pheming  the  name  of  God — writing  its  names  of  blasphemy 
upon  the  seven  heads  of  the  monster  on  which  the  scarlet 
woman  is  seated.  Take  the  decree  of  the  Ecumenical 
Council,  at  Rome,  in  the  year  of  grace,  1870 — a  year  not 
to  be  forgotten  by  the  Church,  through  eternity.  THE 
INFALLIBILITY  OF  THE  POPE  !  *  much  as  its  supporters  and 
apologists  may  endeavor  to  gloss  it  over  to  cover  its  glaring 
impiety  from  Protestant  eyes,  much  as  they  may  endeavor 
to  sugar-coat  the  pill,  to  make  it  go  down  smoothly  into 
stomachs  which  already  begin  to  nauseate  with  their  absurd 
doses,  that  decree  is  a  glaring  blasphemy,  hurled  into  the 
face  of  Deity,  to  support  the  consciously  sinking  cause  of  the 
Papacy.  If  they  can  make  their  adherents  believe  that  the 
so-called  Holy  Father  is  infallible,  they  can  easily  make 
them  do  whatever,  in  their  opinion,  mav  restore  or  strengthen 

*  See  Poem,  Canto  I,  stanzas  142-148. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  8/ 

the  cause  of  the  hierarchy.  Provided  the  two  hundred 
millions  of  Roman  Catholics  should  endorse  the  monstrous 
assumption,  it  would  place  a  still  frightful  power  in  the 
hands  of  the  Pope.  It  might  restore  again  his  pristine 
control  over  the  nations,  and  make  kings  again  obedient 
to  his  nod.  In  the  desperation  of  his  circumstances,  the 
experiment  is  worth  trying.  If  it  succeed,  he  can  preach 
another  crusade  to  restore  the  States  of  the  Church  to  his 
kingdom,  and  millions  of  Roman  Catholics  will  rush  to  his 
standards.  He  can  lay  aside  his  Shepherd's  crook,  take  the 
sword,  and  lead  his  own  armies  to  great  achievement. 

So  the  great  lights  of  the  hierarchy  swarm  to  Rome,  bow 
at  the  feet  of  the  Pope,  perform  the  highly  dignified  opera 
tion  of  kissing  his  toe,  and,  in  solemn  mockery,  ascribe  to 
him  an  attribute  belonging  only  to  Deity.  Perhaps  two  hun 
dred  million  Roman  Catholics  will  follow  the  example  of 
these  great  lights  in  what  they  have  done.  But  it  surpasses 
my  own  belief.  Many  will  do  it,  no  doubt,  and,  it  may  be, 
make  it  possible  for  the  Papacy  to  preach  another  crusade. 
But  it  will  be  its  expiring  struggle.  The  mass  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  world,  I  do  believe,  are  too  sensible,  long 
to  follow  such  leaders.  Germany,  under  the  leadership  of 
Dr.  Dollinger,  refuses  to  endorse  it,  and  seems  swinging 
away  from  her  moorings  to  the  Eternal  City.  Other  peoples 
will  follow.  When  the  idea  of  an  infallible  Church  and  an 
infallible  Pope  is  exploded,  the  power  of  the  Papacy  is 
hopelessly  gone.  The  Catholic  Churches  will  thenceforward 
begin  to  fall  into  line  with  the  Protestant,  and  they  will  vie 
with  each  other  in  spreading  the  knowledge  of  Jesus.  That 
the  powers  which  have  controlled  that  Church  will  foment 
wars,  is  morally  certain.  That  many  will  perish  in  them, 
will  be  a  necessary  consequence,  but  it  will  be  a  compara 
tively  small  proportion  of  the  two  hundred  millions,  no 
doubt.  The  rest  will  join  the  parties  of  progress,  when  the 
beast  is  overthrown. 

That  the  Papacy  has  not  repented  of  its  deeds  is  equally 
clear.  None  of  its  edicts  in  former  times,  justifying  persecu 
tion,  have  been  revoked.  None  of  its  claims  to  the  right  of 
penal  inflictions  have  been  abated.  Not  even  the  slaughter 
of  St.  Bartholomew's  Day  has  ever  been  publicly  repudiated. 


88  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

That  these  leaders  will  not  repent,  until  they  are  overthrown 
in  the  civil  convulsions  they  themselves  foment,  is  a  point 
about  which  there  can  be  no  doubt. 

To  close  up  our  remarks  upon  the  symbolism  of  the  fifth 
vial,  let  us  now  revert  to  France,*  and  especially  to  Paris. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  capital  of  the  most  influ 
ential  kingdom  that  has  for  ages  upheld  the  pretensions  of 
the  Papacy,  and,  at  its  bidding,  bathed  the  secular  sword  in 
the  blood  of  millions  to  exterminate  heretics,  is  compre 
hended,  if  not  expressly  pointed  out,  in  the  symbols  which 
foreshadow  the  present  period  of  history.  I  call  attention 
to  a  hypothesis  which  I  do  not  pretend  to  defend,  because 
we  do  not  yet  know  what  the  fate  of  Paris  will  be,  viz.,  that 
she  is  the  Babylonf  mentioned  in  the  i8th  chapter.  That 
she  is  feeling  the  effect  of  this  vial  of  wrath,  in  the  midst  of 
her  darkness  and  madness,  cannot  be  doubted  by  any  who 
receive  the  interpretation  of  these  symbols  as  endorsed  by 
our  best  expositors. 

We  may  remark,  regarding  the  iyth,  i8th  and  iQth  chap 
ters,  that  they  are  a  more  detailed  account  of  what  is 
described  in  the  i6th,  under  the  seven  vials.  They  also 
contain  the  sequel  of  the  outpouring  of  the  seventh  vial,  the 
final  destruction  of  all  anti-Christian  powers  before  the  rider 
on  the  white  horse.  The  iyth  chapter  introduces  a  variation 
of  the  symbols  used  to  designate  the  Papal  power  in  its 
different  stages  of  development.  It  is  an  abandoned  woman, 
seated  upon  a  scarlet-colored  beast,  having  seven  heads  and 
ten  horns.  This  symbolism  must  certainly  cover  things, 
persons  and  events  already  noticed  to  some  extent,  but  for 
the  purpose  of  bringing  out  to  a  more  striking  view  the 
Papal  power  in  its  last  development.  It  would  not,  there 
fore,  be  straining  the  prophecy  to  suppose  that  the  i8th 
chapter  covers  in  part  the  identical  ground  which  is  occupied 
by  the  fifth  vial.  I  will  introduce  it  here : 

And  after  these  things  I  saw  another  angel  come  down  from  heaven, 
having  great  power  ;  and  the  earth  was  lightened  with  his  glory. 

And  he  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice,  saying,  Babylon  the  great  is 
fallen,  is  fallen,  and  has  become  the  habitation  of  devils,  and  the  hold  of 
every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird. 

*  Note  65,  Canto  I,  stanza  102.  t  See  Poem,  Canto  II.  stanza  116. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  89 

For  all  nations  have  drunk  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication, 
and  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  fornication  with  her,  and  the 
merchants  of  the  earth  are  waxed  rich  through  the  abundance  of  her 
delicacies. 

And  I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  Come  out  of  her,  my 
people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of 
her  plagues. 

For  her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath  remembered  her 
iniquities. 

Reward  her  even  as  she  rewarded  you,  and  double  unto  her  double 
according  to  her  works :  in  the  cup  which  she  hath  filled,  fill  to  her 
double. 

How  much  she  hath  glorified  herself,  and  lived  deliciously,  so  much 
torment  and  sorrow  give  her :  for  she  saith  in  her  heart,  I  sit  a  queen,  and 
am  no  widow,  and  shall  see  no  sorrow. 

Therefore  shall  her  plagues  come  in  one  day,  death,  and  mourning,  and 
famine ;  and  she  shall  be  utterly  burned  with  fire :  for  strong  is  the  Lord 
God  who  judgeth  her. 

And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  who  have  committed  fornication  and  lived 
deliciously  with  her,  shall  bewail  her,  and  lament  for  her,  when  they  shall 
see  the  smoke  of  her  burning, 

Standing  afar  off  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  saying,  Alas,  alas  !  that 
great  city  Babylon,  that  mighty  city  !  for  in  one  hour  is  thy  judgment 
come. 

And  the  merchants  of  the  earth  shall  weep  and  mourn  over  her ;  for  no 
man  buyeth  their  merchandise  any  more : 

The  merchandise  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  precious  stones,  and  of 
pearls,  and  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  silk,  and  scarlet,  and  all  thyine- 
wood,  and  all  manner  of  vessels  of  ivory,  and  all  manner  of  vessels  of 
most  precious  wood,  and  of  brass,  and  iron,  and  marble, 

And  cinnamon,  and  odors,  and  ointments,  and  frankincense,  and  wine, 
and  oil,  and  fine  flour,  and  wheat,  and  beasts,  and  sheep,  and  horses,  and 
chariots,  and  slaves,  and  souls  of  men. 

And  the  fruits  that  thy  soul  lusted  after  are  departed  from  thee,  and  all 
things  which  were  dainty  and  goodly  are  departed  from  thee,  and  thou 
shalt  find  them  no  more  at  all. 

The  merchants  of  these  things  which  were  made  rich  by  her,  shall 
stand  afar  off,  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  weaping  and  wailing. 

And  saying,  Alas,  alas !  that  great  city,  that  was  clothed  in  fine  linen, 
and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and  decked  with  gold,  and  precious  stones,  and 
pearls ! 

For  in  one  hour  so  great  riches  is  come  to  nought.  And  every  ship 
master,  and  all  the  company  in  ships,  and  sailors,  and  as  many  as  trade 
by  sea,  stood  afar  off, 

And  cried  when  they  saw  the  smoke  of  her  burning,  saying,  What  city 
is  like  unto  this  great  city  ! 

And  they  cast  dust  on  their  heads,  and  cried,  weeping  and  wailing,  say 
ing,  Alas,  alas !  that  great  city,  wherein  were  made  rich  all  that  had  ships 
in  the  sea  by  reason  of  her  costliness  !  for  in  one  hour  is  she  made  desolate. 


QO  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  apostles  and  prophets ;  for 
God  hath  avenged  you  on  her. 

And  a  mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone  like  a  great  mill-stone,  and  cast  it 
into  the  sea,  saying,  Thus  with  violence  shall  that  great  city  Babylon  be 
thrown  down,  and  shall  be  found  no  more  at  all. 

And  the  voice  of  harpers,  and  musicians,  and  of  pipers,  and  trumpet 
ers,  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  no  craftsmen,  of  whatso 
ever  craft  he  be,  shall  be  found  any  more  in  thee  ;  and  the  sound  of  a 
mill-stone  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee ; 

And  the  light  of  a  candle  shall  shine  no  more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  the 
voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  of  the  bride  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in 
thee :  for  thy  merchants  were  the  great  men  of  the  earth  ;  for  by  thy 
sorceries  were  all  nations  deceived. 

And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets,  and  of  saints,  and  of  all 
that  were  slain  upon  the  earth. 

We  may  say  that  if  this  means  a  literal  city,  none  has 
ever  existed  that  answers  the  description  better  than  Paris ; 
and  if  that  city  should  be  destroyed,  wholly  or  largely,  in  the 
revolution  which  is  now  deluging  its  streets  with  blood,  it 
would  lend  plausibility  to  the  theory  which  some  minds  could 
scarcely  resist.  Paris  is  a  gay,  gaudy,  godless  and  licen 
tious  city.  That  is  most  emphatically  true  of  her,  which 
John  says  of  the  symbolic  Babylon :  "  All  nations  have 
drunk  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication,  and  the 
kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  fornication  with  her, 
and  the  merchants  of  the  earth  have  waxed  rich  through  the 
abundance  of  her  delicacies."  We  have  seen  what  millions 
have  been  slain,  what  rivers  of  blood  have  deluged  the  world 
in  wars  fomented  or  decreed  in  this  licentious  city.  Not  a 
city  on  the  globe  furnishes  a  parallel  to  it  in  this  respect. 

What  nations  have  not  thronged  her  gay  boulevards  and 
her  brilliant  haunts  of  licentious  pleasure  ?  Into  what  parts 
of  the  known  world  have  not  the  delicacies  of  the  French 
capital  been  carried  for  merchandise  ?  What  article  of 
man's  wear,  from  the  hat  on  his  head  to  the  boots  on  his 
feet,  is  not  considered  better  for  having  the  epithet  French 
prefixed  to  it  ? — even  if  it  has  never  seen  France,  which  is 
often  true.  What  article  of  woman's  wear,  what  style  of 
dress,  what  habit  of  etiquette,  must  not  first  receive  its 
sanction  in  Paris  ?  Look  at  the  articles  of  merchandise  of 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 


91 


symbolic  Babylon,  and  compare  them  with  the  articles  found 
principally  in  Appleton's  list  for  modern  Paris : 


OF  BABYLON. 

OF  PARIS. 

OF  BABYLON. 

Gold, 
Silver, 
Precious  stones, 

(Gold  in  bars  and 
leaf  ;     gold    and 
silver  ware;  jew 
elry. 

Wine, 
Oil, 
Fine  flour, 
Wheat, 

Pearls, 

P.uttons. 

,-, 

Fine  linen, 
Purple, 

(Haberdashery. 
Clothing  ;    linen 
drapery  ;    silks  ; 

Sheep, 
Horses, 

Silk, 

woolens  ;  cotton 

fabrics. 

Chariots, 

Scarlet, 

j  Cudbear  and  car- 
)      mine. 

Slaves, 

Thyine-wood, 

(  Wood  for  building 
•<      and  for  musical 

Souls  of  men. 

(      instruments. 

Vessels  of  ivory,     "| 

Vessels  of  wood, 

Goldsmiths'  and 

Vessels  of  brass,      f 

jewelers'    work  ; 

Vessels  of  iron, 

clocks  ;  watches. 

Vessels  of  marble,  J 

Cinnamon,               1 

Odors, 

Ointments, 

Perfumery. 

Frankincense,          J 

OF  PARIS. 

Wine  ;  cider  ;  beer; 
alcohol. 

Solid  food. 

f  Butchers'  meat ; 

J      prepared     skins, 

I      and  articles  fab- 

[      ricated  of  them. 

Mitrailleuses  ; 

steam    engines  : 

cars. 

Votaries  of  vice. 
j  Sold  for  her  deli- 
|      cacies. 
Fancy    articles  ; 
pasteboard  ;  pa 
per  ;  books ;  en 
gravings. 


That  she  traffics  in  the  souls  of  men, — who  does  not  know 
that  thousands  are  yearly  immolated  upon  her  shrines  of 
pleasure?  But  it  is  in  her  gay  and  voluptuous  character, 
and  in  her  crimes,  that  she  answers  this  description  best. 
How  much  she  hath  glorified  herself  and  lived  deliciously ! 
How  proudly  has  she  sat  like  a  queen  at  the  head  of  the 
nations !  How  have  her  streets  and  public  places  of  execu 
tion  streamed  with  the  blood  of  martyrs,  and  of  her  citizens, 
slain  in  civil  strife  and  in  her  reigns  of  terror!  How  have 
her  sins  reached  up  to  heaven!  Now  how  are  her  sober, 
law-abiding  citizens, — she  has  a  few, — coming  out  of  her, 
flying  before  the  scowling  face  of  mad  sedition,  that  they 
may  not  be  partakers  of  her  sins  nor  receive  of  her  plagues? 
What  may  yet  come  the  future  must  be  left  to  disclose  But 
in  view  of  the  awful  state  of  the'  French  capital,  the  words 
of  the  prophet  may  almost  be  literally  applied  to  her, 
"Babylon  the  greit  is  fallen,*  is  fallen,  and  become  the 
habitation  of  devils,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and 


Nrte  66.  Canto  I,  stanza  171. 


92  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

the  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird."  How  do  the 
devils  of  sedition,  robbery  and  murder  rage  in  her  streets ! 
Behold  her  petroleuses,  like  incarnate  fiends,  spreading 
conflagration  over  the  devoted  city !  How  do  her  dens  and 
gilded  haunts  of  vice  reek  with  the  foul  spirits  of  the  pit ! 
How  do  the  unclean  and  hateful  birds  of  communism, 
socialism,  infidelity  and  stark  atheism,  throng  in  her  public 
gatherings,  and  haunt  her  secret  conclaves ! 

Smarting  under  the  vial  of  wrath,  they  blaspheme  the 
name  of  God  and  repent  not  of  their  deeds.  It  has  been 
thought,  by  historians  and  moralists,  that  the  awful  experi 
ment  of  France  in  1793, — that  of  conducting  the  affairs  of  a 
nation  without  a  God, — would  be  sufficient  for  all  time; 
that  no  nation,  with  the  horror  and  crime  that  were  enacted 
during  the  Reign  of  Terror  before  them,  would  ever  dare 
repeat  the  experiment.  But  scarcely  three-quarters  of  a 
century  have  passed  before  France  would  try  it  again.  The 
Commune,  which  have  been  elevated  by  the  mob  to  misrule 
Paris,  have  again,  it  is  said,  enacted  the  blasphemy.  Truly 
they  do  not  repent  of  their  deeds.  That  all  these  things  are 
the  legitimate  consequences  of  long  ages  of  political  and 
ecclesiastical  maladministration  is  plain  enough,  and  clearly 
enough  demonstrates  their  relationship  to  the  dragon  and  the 
beast.  Their  own  legitimate  offspring,  like  that  of  Milton's 
personation  of  Sin,  have  turned  upon  the  parents  to  rend 
and  devour  them.  And  the  earth  is  opening  to  swallow  them 
all  up ;  and  thus  will  religion  and  liberty  be  helped. 

I  know  of  no  sadder  picture  in  the  history  of  modern 
nations  than  France  presents  to-day.  Scourged  by  a  more 
powerful  foe,  whom  her  ambition  had  raised  against  her, 
until  the  blood  has  flown  in  streams  from  her  lacerated 
body,  and  reddened  half  the  kingdom,  with  a  half  million 
new-made  graves  covering  her  fallen  sons,  with  her  frightful 
battle-fields  still  reeking  with  myriads  of  unburied  dead,  her 
homes  draped  in  sackcloth  of  mourning,  darkened  by  the 
presence  of  death's  angel,  whole  provinces  desolated,  many 
cities,  towns  and  villages  in  ruins,  her  unhappy  children,  in 
the  madness  of  their  agony  and  amid  the  thick  darkness 
which  broods  over  her,  are  tearing  and  destroying  each 
other.  Over  the  black  cloud  which  covers  her,  we  see 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  93 

naught  but  the  flaming  sword  of  the  cherubim,  proclaiming 
that  God  and  his  angels  are  at  war  with  a  wicked  nation. 
Amid  the  storm  a  solemn  voice  peals  above  the  turmoil, 
coming  down  from  the  distant  past,  uttered  in  awful  warning 
and  verified  by  fallen  empires  and  ruined  cities,  "  The 
wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell  with  all  the  nations  that 
forget  God."  Is  there  no  hope  for  prostrate  France?  None 
whatever  in  any  course  she  has  heretofore  pursued.  None, 
unless  on  that  dark  tempest-cloud  the  falling  tears  of  repent 
ance  shall  light  up  the  splendors  of  the  rainbow  of  hope 
from  light  reflected  from  the  sun  of  righteousness,  which 
then  would  rise  in  her  sky  and  scatter  the  uneasy  spirits  of 
the  storm.  She  is  rapidly  going  down  to  the  hades  of 
nations.  Soon  the  abyss  will  engulf  her,  and  over  the  spot 
will  belong  the  epitaph  which  the  traveler  reads  on  the  ruins 
of  fallen  Nineveh,  Babylon,  Thebes  and  Carthage,  and 
among  the  mouldering  archives  of  dead  empires,  "  PERISHED 

AMONG  THE  NATIONS  THAT   HAVE    FORGOTTEN  GOD."        Will 

not  France  take  warning  from  these  solemn  monitions? 
Will  not  the  nations  which  stand  afar  off  for  fear  of  her 
plagues,  and  lament  her  sad  fall,  take  warning?  Will  not 
America  take  warning?  I  appeal  to  all  who  would  erect 
temples  to  strange  gods  among  us,  to  science,  philosophy,  or 
reason,  or  offer  unholy  incense  upon  the  altars  of  Bacchus 
and  the  pleasures  of  sense,  take  warning.  Seek  not  to  banish 
or  destroy  the  influence  of  the  Bible  among  us.  Do  not 
secularize  our  Sabbath.  France  has  done  these,  and  you  see 
whither  she  is  tending.  Dissolution  and  death  will  surely 
follow  if  you  succeed. 


94  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 


X. 


THE  SICK  MAN  OF  CONSTANTINOPLE. 

From  Araby,  the  land  of  rocks  and  sands, 
There  flowed  a  wondrous  river  long  ago. — CANTO  II,  STANZA  i. 

And  the  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  great  river  Euphrates ; 
and  the  water  thereof  was  dried  up,  that  the  way  of  the  kings  of  the  east 
might  be  prepared. 

And  I  saw  three  unclean  spirits  like  frogs  come  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  false  prophet. 

For  they  are  the  spirits  of  devils,  working  miracles,  which  go  forth 
unto  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  whole  world,  to  gather  them  to 
the  battle  of  that  great  day  of  God  Almighty. 

Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth,  and  keepeth 
his  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame. 

And  he  gathered  them  together  into  a  place  called  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue  Armageddon. — REV.  xvi.  12-16. 

WE  now  proceed  upon  ground  on  which  we  must  tread 
softly.  We  are  undoubtedly  somewhere  near  the  line  which 
divides  the  past  from  the  future.  We  may  feel  tolerably 
sure  as  to  the  application  of  those  symbols  which  plainly 
refer  to  past  events,  but  as  to  those  which  zefer  to  the  future 
we  cannot  be  certain,  except,  perhaps,  as  to  their  general 
character.  The  peculiar  character  of  specific  events  can 
only  be  determined  by  the  events  themselves.  Yet  there  is 
much  that  is  instructive  in  those  symbols  which  plainly  refer 
to  future  events,  and  they  invite  our  attention  and  scrutiny. 
All  the  expositors  to  whom  I  have  access  express  the  opinion 
that  the  events  indicated  by  this  symbolism  are  yet  in  the 
future.  Barnes,  the  most  recent,  who  wrote  his  exposition, 
twenty  years  ago,  hints  that  the  outpouring  might  have 
already  passed,  and  the  events  following  it  might  have  been 
passing  in  his  day. 

From  careful  study  of  the  subject,  I  am  inclined  to  the 
opinion  that  the  outpouring  followed  not  long  after  the  fifth 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  95 

vial,  that  events  indicated  in  the  twelfth  verse  are  nearly 
passed,  and  those  indicated  by  the  rest  of  trie  passage  are  in 
the  near  coming  future. 

I  will  first  call  attention  to  several  observations  on  the 
demands  of  these  symbols,  and  then  see  if  we  can  find  any 
thing  in  recent  and  passing  history  that  will  meet  the 
demands. 

1.  The  great  river  Euphrates  must,  of  course,  symbolize 
some  great  anti-Christian  power  which   has   been  arrayed 
against  Christianity,  and  has  stood  in  the  way  of  the  kings 
of  the  East  in  some  movement  which  must  have  a  bearing 
upon  it,  perhaps  embracing  it.      Moreover,  as  it  was  a  great 
river,  and  consequently  made  up  from  the  gathering  together 
of  many  waters,  we  should  expect  that  this  power  would  be 
composed  of  many  peoples  or  nationalities. 

2.  The  outpouring  of   the  vial  must    symbolize   letting 
loose  upon  this  power  some  influence  that  would  cause  it  to 
decay  like  the  gradual  drying  up  of  a  river  after  its  sources 
are  cut  off  by  the  failure  of  rains  upon  the  hills  and  moun-. 
tains  which  supply  them.      It  would  require  not  a  sudden 
and  violent,  but  a  gradual  decay. 

3.  The  power  must  be  associated  in  some  manner  with 
the  dragon  and  the  beast  in  their   opposition  to  civil  and 
religious  liberty. 

4.  The  three  unclean   spirits  must  be  .an  outgrowth  of 
these  anti-Christian  and  anti-progressive  powers,  or  at  least 
must  proceed  from  the  same  source. 

5.  The  unclean  spirits  must  do,  or  make  men  believe  that 
they  do,  some  great  and  wondrous  things  in  order  to  gain  an 
influence  over  the  kings  which  they  are  said  to  gather  to 
gether  to  the  "great  day  of  God  Almighty." 

6.  This  great  day  must  symbolize  some  great  conflict  in 
which  these  malign  spirits  will  be  engaged,  that  will  result 
in  their  overthrow.     It  may  be  a  conflict  among  themselves, 
in  which  they  will  mutually  destroy  each  other.     Christianity 
has  been  helped  by  such  conflicts,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
more  than  in  those  where  their  adherents  have  been  directly 
assailed  and  driven  to  take  the  sword  in  self-defense. 

7.  The  Lord's  coming  as  a  thief,  may  symbolize  his  hand 
in   the  conflict,  his   enemies,  and  possibly  his  friends,  not 
knowing  it. 


96  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

8.  Their  gathering  the  kings  together  into  a  place  called 
Armageddon,  must  be  regarded  as  only  preparatory  to  the 
awful  events  of  the  seventh  vial. 

We  may  remark  generally,  before  proceeding  to  a  con 
sideration  of  the  application  of  these  symbols,  that,  as  the 
fifth  and  sixth  trumpets,  relating  to  the  same  powers,  occu 
pied  a  very  long  time,  even  centuries  in  their  fulfillment,  it 
would  not  be  unreasonable  to  expect  that  the  fifth  and  sixth 
vials  would  require  a  much  longer  time  for  their  fulfillment 
than  the  preceding. 

Do  we  find  anything  in  current  history  answering  the 
demands  of  these  symbols  ? 

i.  As  to  the  power  indicated  by  the  great  river  Euphrates, 
we  may  have  little  doubt  as  to  its  referring  to  the  Moham 
medan  power,  as  now  more  particularly  embodied  in  the 
Turkish  Empire.  The  same  symbol  is  used  in  the  sixth 
trumpet,  which  is  believed  to  refer  to  the  rise  of  that  power. 
The  Mohammedan  religion,  as  is  well  known,  was  first  pro 
claimed  by  Mohammed,  in  the  early  part  of  the  seventh  cen 
tury.*  Its  rise  and  progress  are  set  forth  in  the  fifth  and  sixth 
trumpets,  showing  God's  method  of  visiting  the  corrupt 
Churches  which  had  overspread  Northern  Africa,  Southern 
Europe,  and  Asia  Minor.  The  signs  of  corruption  had  begun 
to  manifest  themselves  in  the  Seven  Churches,  as  recorded  by 
John.  Five  centuries  after  this,  these  portions  of  the  earth 
were  ripe  for  the  inundation  of  God's  wrath.  This  began  to 
be  revealed  to  John  under  the  symbol  of  locusts  released  in 
vast  numbers  from  the  bottomless  pit,  at  the  sounding  of  the 
fifth  trumpet.  Mohammed  began  his  career  in  Arabia ;  with 
the  Saracen  armies  which  he  called  around  his  standard, 
he  spread  his  religion  and  power  with  amazing  rapidity. 
Nearly  the  whole  of  Arabia  soon  submitted  to  his  sway. 
Two  centuries  had  not  passed,  before  his  successors  had 
overrun  Egypt,  Syria,  Asia  Minor,  twice  besieged  Constanti 
nople,  overrun  all  of  Northern  Africa,  broke  over  the  bar 
riers  of  the  straits  of  Gibraltar,  subdued  Spain,  crossed  the 
Pyrenees,  and  carried  the  triumphant  crescent  up  to  the 
walls  of  Potiers,  when  the  tide  of  conquest  was  checked  at 

*  Note  2,  Canto  II,  stanza  i. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  97 

Tours,  by  Charles  Martel,  at  the  head  of  a  great  army, 
chiefly  from  France  and  Germany.  A  vast  number — some 
say  as  many  as  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand — were  slain, 
and  they  were  driven  back  beyond  the  Pyrenees,  never  to 
return.  But  the  Moors  remained  in  Spain  for  several 
centuries. 

The  Mohammedan  power  thus  almost  completely  blotted 
out  the  nominal  religion  of  Jesus,  over  more  than  half  the 
Christian  world.  The  ruin  was  sweeping;  thousands  of 
magnificent  churches  were  transformed  into  mosques — many 
of  them  remaining  unto  this  day.  This  power,  after  an 
existence  of  almost  a  thousand  years,  culminated  in  the 
siege  and  capture  of  Constantinople,  and  the  establishment 
of  the  Turkish  Empire,  with  that  city  for  its  capital.  The 
Turks  had  been  known  as  a  people  in  the  North  of  Asia,  for 
fifteen  hundred  years.  They  had  embraced  the  religion  of 
Mohammed  but  a  short  time  previous  to  this  event.  This 
completed  the  overthrow  of  the  Eastern  Empire,  in  judgment 
upon  the  corruptions  of  an  idolatrous  Church.  In  the  appli 
cation  \vhich  our  expositors  make  of  the  prophetic  symbols  of 
Revelation,  it  is  regarded  as  the  culmination  of  the  second 
woe,  or  sixth  trumpet,  which  ended  in  placing  the  sun  of  the 
Turkish  Empire  at  its  meridian,  where  it  is  called  the  great 
river  Euphrates.*  (See  Barnes,  in  loco.)  The  propriety  of 
choosing  that  riverf  as  a  symbol  of  this  power  is  seen,  when 
we  remember  that  it  is  a  great  river,  and  on  its  banks,  on  the 
fertile  plain  of  Shinar,  stood  the  renowned  city  of  Babylon, 
the  capital  of  one  of  earth's  greatest  and  oldest  empires. 

The  allusion  to  the  kings  of  the  East  would  seem  to 
strengthen  the  position  that  the  Turkish  Empire  is  here 
intended.  Kings  must,  of  course,  be  taken  here  as  repre 
sentative  of  nationalities  or  races.  We  may,  perhaps,  under 
stand  the  meaning  of  this  to  be,  that  the  way  of  Eastern 
races  may  be  prepared — opened  to  the  reception  of  Chris 
tianity  ;  i.  <?.,  some  hindrance  removed  that  has  hitherto  been 
in  the  way.  Appleton's  Cyclopedia  says :  "  Perhaps  no 
country  in  the  world  is  inhabited  by  so  great  a  variety  of 
races  as  the  Turkish  Empire.  The  Turks  are  divided  into 

*  See  Poem,  Canto  II,  stanzas  1-27.  t  Note  3,  Canto  II,  stanza  28. 

5 


WVBRSIT7 


98  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

two  races :  The  Osmanlis,  or  Turks  proper,  whose  numbers 
are  estimated  at  about  three  millions  in  European,  and  ten 
million  five  hundred  thousand  in  Asiatic  Turkey ;  and  the 
Turkomans,  who  are  principally  found  in  Northern  Meso 
potamia  and  adjoining  districts,  and  do  not,  probably,  exceed 
an  hundred  thousand.  The  Greeks  are  about  equally  divided 
between  the  European  and  Asiatic  divisions,  and  number 
somewhat  more  than  two  millions.  The  Armenians  are 
about  five  hundred  thousand  in  European,  and  two  millions 
in  Asiatic  Turkey.  The  Sclavic  nations,  under  which  term 
are  principally  included  Bulgarians.  Servians,  Bosnians, 
Herzegovinians,  and  Montenegrins,  number  about  six  mill 
ions,  and  are  all  in  European  Turkey.  The  Roumans,  or 
Wallachs,  a  Daco-Roman  race,  inhabiting,  chiefly,  the  Dan- 
ubian  Principalities,  number  about  four  hundred  thousand. 
Besides  these,  there  are  upwards  of  one  million  Arnauts,  or 
Albanians  proper,  inhabiting  a  province  called  after  them ; 
not  far  from  one  million  Arabs  in  Asiatic  Turkey,  and  four 
millions  in  the  African  Turkish  possessions;  about  two  hun 
dred  and  forty  thousand  Syrians,  all  in  Asiatic  Turkey ; 
about  two  hundred  thousand  Jews,  ninety  thousand  Franks, 
or  Western  Christians,  one  million  or  more  Koords,  twenty 
thousand  Gypsies,  thirty  to  fifty  thousand  Druses,  about  the 
same  number  of  Tartars,  and  a  large  number  of  Circassians 
and  other  Caucasians,  and  in  Africa,  Copts,  Nubians,  Ber 
bers,  &c."  The  whole  population,  according  to  the  larger 
estimate,  is  somewhat  over  forty  millions.  All  these  are 
held  in  subjection  to  the  Turks,  numbering,  as  we  have 
seen,  only  thirteen  millions — less  than  one-third  of  the  en 
tire  population.  That  Turkish  rule  has  been  unfriendly  to 
Christianity,  every  student  of  history  knows.  It  has  certainly 
been  in  the  way  of  these  races ;  and  when  taken  away,  there 
will  be  no  political  hindrances  to  the  spread  of  Christianity. 
And  through  them,  doubtless,  will  be  prepared  a  way  for  still 
other  kindred  races  of  the  East,  not  under  Turkish  rule. 

2.  Our  second  remark  was  to  the  effect  that  the  outpour- 
i.ig  of  the  vial  upon  that  power  must  symbolize  letting 
loose  upon  it  some  influences  that  would  cause  it  to  decay, 
like  the  gradual  drying  up  of  a  great  river.  The  gradual 
decay  of  the  Turkish  Empire  during  the  present  century, 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  99 

satisfies  the  demand  of  this  symbolism,  and  at  the  same 
time  furnishes  one  of  the  strongest  proofs  that  it  is  the 
power  foreshadowed  in  the  symbol.  We  ought  not,  of 
course,  to  be  very  positive  until  we  see  more  of  the  ways  of 
God  in  current  events.  There  are  those  who  suppose  that 
the  sixth  vial  has  not  yet  been  poured  out,  and  they  look  for 
some  great  war  on  the  Eastern  question.  I  have  followed  such 
a  line  of  thought  in  my  Poem.  But  if  this  gradual  decay  has 
any  significance,  it  shows  that  the  vial  has  already  been 
poured  out,  and  is  at  work  upon  it.  At  the  same  time  this 
does  not  render  future  wars  of  great  magnitude  improbable. 
We  do  not  know  what  form  of  power  that  Empire  may  yet  put 
on,  nor  what  attitude  it  may  assume  towards  its  subjects  who 
do  or  may  profess  Christianity.  The  labors  of  Christian  mis 
sionaries  are  spreading  a  purer  Christianity  very  rapidly  there, 
and  from  such  results  it  would  seem  that  the  Empire,  as  a 
hindrance,  has  almost  ceased  from  the  way  already.  But 
this  increase  of  Christians  may  yet  be  the  very  cause  of 
another  outbreak  of  Moslem  fanaticism,  and  persecution 
may  again  rage  against  them,  until  its  atrocities  shall  pro 
voke  other  nations  to  interfere,  as  they  did  when  Greece  was 
delivered  at  Navarino,  when  this  vial  may  reach  its  grandest 
consummation,  and  the  river  be  dried  up.  The  history  of 
Turkey  during  this  century  favors  my  second  remark  in  the 
main.  I  refer  the  reader  to  the  sketch  of  Turkish  history  in 
Appleton's  Cyclopedia,  too  long  to  insert  here.  Near  the 
beginning  of  this  century,  we  find  Egypt  conquered  by 
Bonaparte.  This  led  to  a  war  with  France  on  a  more 
extended  scale,  which  weakened  the  Empire  considerably. 
Then  wars  with  Russia  and  England,  together  with  the  rebel 
lion  of  Janizaries,  made  the  condition  of  the  Empire  exceed 
ingly  perilous.  They  involved  the  Sultan  in  considerable 
loss  of  territory,  and  resulted  in  a  great  slaughter  of  the  Jan 
izaries.  He  had  scarcely  concluded  peace  with  England  and 
Russia,  when  Greece  revolted,  and  Mehemet  Ali  raised  the 
standard  of  insurrection  in  Egypt,  which  involved  him  in 
still  graver  difficulties.  Greece  achieved  her  independence 
in  1821,  at  an  almost  fatal  cost  to  Turkey.  Egypt,  too, 
would  have  been  utterly  lost,  and  the  Empire  itself  would, 
doubtless,  have  sunk  under  the  accumulated  weight  of  its 


100  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

disasters,  but  for  the  interposition  of  France  and  other 
powers,  who  deemed  the  adherence  of  Egypt  to  the  Empire, 
and  the  existence  of  the  Empire  itself,  necessary  to  preserve 
the  balance  of  power.  These  and  other  minor  causes,  super- 
added  to  the  effects  of  internal  decay,  have  so  weakened 
the  Sultan,  that  he  has  been  designated  the  "Sick  man  of 
Constantinople.""  The  Crimean  war  resulted  in  strengthening 
Turkey  somewhat,  by  enlarging  her  territory;  but  recent 
troubles  in  Europe  have  nearly  neutralized  all  she  gained 
then. 

But  even  this  war,  apparently  to  the  advantage  of  Turkey, 
went  far  towards  removing  the  Empire  as  a  hindrance  out  of 
the  way  of  Christianity,  and  thus  contributed  to  the  general 
result  contemplated  in  the  outpouring  of  the  sixth  vial. 
Doctor  Dwight,  a  missionary  of  Constantinople,  under  the 
appointment  of  the  American  Board,  with  whom  I  conversed 
on  this  subject  but  a  short  time  before  the  fearful  accident  on 
the  Rutland  Railroad,  which  caused  his  death,  informed  me 
that  this  war  had  a  powerful  effect  in  breaking  down  the 
barriers  to  Christianity  there.  The  intercourse  of  Turks 
with  other  nations  sharing  common  dangers,  being  engaged 
in  a  common  cause  against  the  designs  of  Russia,  made 
great  inroads  upon  Moslem  exclusiveness,  and  greatly  soft 
ened  fanaticism.  The  confirmation  of  the  Hatti-sheriff, 
revoking  the  death  penalty  upon  Mohammedans  for  forsaking 
their  religion,  was  a  very  important  public  act  resulting  from 
this  war,  and  bears  in  the  same  direction.  We  therefore 
conclude  that,  if  our  exposition  be  correct,  the  results  of  the 
outpouring,  so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  Turkish  Empire,  are, 
doubtless,  nearly  all  realized ;  for  the  removal  of  civil  and 
political  hindrances  to  the  spread  of  Christianity,  is  all,  I 
suppose,  that  is  contemplated  in  any  of  these  symbols. 

But  there  are  other  things  indicated  in  our  text,  which  fol 
low  the  outpouring  of  the  sixth  vial  chronologically,  and, 
doubtless,  as  the  logical  consequence,  fraught  with  startling 
interest,  which  may  extend  over  the  world,  and  quite  far  into 
the  future,  before  the  seventh  vial  is  outpoured.  They  are 
indicated  in  what  the  unclean  spirits*  shall  do.  We  remark 
on  this  passage : 

*  Note  4,  Canto  II,  stanza  61. 


INTRODUCTORY  LECTURES.       IOI 

The  dragon  must  here  be  still  considered  the  spirit  of 
Paganism,  in  its  opposition  to  the  pure  religion  of  Jesus ; 
the  beast,  the  Papacy,  and  the  false  prophet  as  the  Moham 
medan  religion,  in  its  wider  existence,  embracing,  as  it  does 
now,  nearly  one  hundred  and  sixty  million  adherents. 

With  reference  to  the  special  meaning  and  application  of 
this  passage,  we  cannot  speak  positively,  but  we  may  be 
permitted  to  make  the  following  suggestions : 

The  Pagan  power,  as  a  metaphysical  hindrance  to  Chris 
tianity,  was  a  religion  of  rationalism*  in  its  more  refined 
culture,  or  at  least  a  religion  in  which  the  rationalistic 
element  largely  predominated.  You  find  this  among  the 
old  philosophers.  You  find  marked  traces  of  it  in  the 
system  of  Julian,  the  Apostate.  It  has  always  attracted 
minds  of  a  philosophical  turn.  The  unclean  spirit  which 
proceeded  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  may  symbolize 
modern  rationalism  embodied  in  the  various  schools  of  infi 
delity,  prominent  among  which,  for  numbers,  is  spiritism, 
which  has  received  an  immense  impulse  during  the  present 
century.  I  have  been  struck  more  than  once  with  the 
Paganistic  elements  which  largely  pervade  the  systems  of 
modern  free-thinkers.  They  have  attempted,  in  philosophy, 
what  it  is  said  a  Roman  Emperor  attempted  in  the  Pantheon 
at  Rome ;  /.  e.,  to  put  the  God  of  the  Bible  into  a  niche  by 
the  side  of  Jupiter,  Zeus,  and  other  deities  of  the  ancients, 
and  of  Vishnu,  Brahma,  and  Jos,  of  more  modern  times. 
We  may  say  that  if  this  was  the  design  of  this  symbol, 
it  was  well  chosen.  There  are  more  of  the  spirits  of  old 
Paganism  among  us,  croaking  like  unclean  frogs,  than  we  are 
aware  of.  A  great  portion  of  our  secular  press  seem  to  lean 
that  way. 

The  religion  symbolized  by  the  beast  has  ever  been  one 
of  blind,  groping  ignorance  and  superstition — that  of  a 
Church  which  has,  to  no  small  extent,  cherished  and  taught 
the  idea  that  "  ignorance  is  the  mother  of  devotion,"  and 
countenances  a  superstition  that  can  believe  anything  which 
a  designing  Jesuitism  may  promulgate,  as  calculated  tj 
strengthen  the  Church  in  its  hold,  upon  its  illegitimate 

*  Note  5,  Canto  II,  stanza  63. 


102       INTRODUCTORY  LECTURES. 

powers.  The  spirit  which  came  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
beast  may  symbolize  that  recent  exhibition  of  credulity 
which  blindly  subscribes  to  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope,  the 
immaculate  conception  of  the  Virgin,  and  other  absurdities 
ad  fine m. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  religion  of  the  false  prophet  is 
one  of  grossest  sensualism.*  The  spiritual  element  is  almost 
entirely  wanting  in  it.  Materialism  composes  it  almost 
exclusively.  For  instance,  the  ideal  summit  of  heavenly 
bliss,  to  a  mussulman,  is  a  farm,  in  heaven,  of  seventy 
thousand  square  miles  extent,  with  proper  appurtenances ; 
a  vast  diamond  palace,  with  the  moderate  allowance  of 
seventy  thousand  of  the  blue-eyed  nymphs  of  heaven  as 
his  wives.  This  reward  has  been  actually  promised  to  the 
most  faithful. 

Would  not  the  spirit  which  proceeded  out  of  the  mouth 
of  the  false  prophet  properly  symbolize  the  sensualism  which 
begins  to  be  so  prevalent  in  the  world,  the  indulgence  of 
which  has,  even  now,  been  claimed  as  a  religious  right  ?  It 
comes  from  the  same  source  as  when  proclaimed  by  the 
prophet  to  his  followers — a  corrupt  human  heart.  It  seems 
to  me  that  there  has  been  no  time,  for  many  years,  when 
sensualism  interposed  stronger  barriers  to  religion  than  it 
does  to-day,  and  in  our  own  country.  The  motto  with  vast 
numbers  is,  "  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die." 
How  is  it  with  a  vast  mass  of  foreign  immigrants  ?  How  is  it 
with  the  vast  influence  wielded  by  strong  drink  among  us  ? 
How  few  of  our  popular  elections  are  not  carried  by  lager 
or  whisky  ?  They  begin  to  be  prescriptive,  and  it  needs  no 
great  stretch  of  the  imagination  to  suppose  that  they  may, 
by  and  by,  resort  to  general  and  open  violence. 

Let  me  say  in  reference  to  this  whole  subject,  that  ration 
alism,  superstition  (especially  in  our  own  country),  and 
sensualism,  are  the  three  great  powers  arrayed  against  the 
Church  and  opposing  the  progress  of  Christianity,  Satan's 
last  great  triumvirate  with  which  he  would  suppress  the 
religion  of  Jesus  in  all  Christian  lands.  They  talk  great 
things,  and  profess  l£>  do  great  things,  to  lead  men  to 
embrace  their  tenets. 

*  Note  6,  Canto  II,  stanza  69. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  103 

With  regard  to  these  powers  being  closely  associated,  the 
dragon,  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  have  their  votaries 
everywhere.  But  in  a  remarkable  degree  have  these  differ 
ent  hindrances  to  Christianity  prevailed  in  Turkey.  There 
you  find  Roman  Catholics,  Mohammedans  and  Pagans, 
elements  ready  to  assume  some  new  form,  like  the  three 
unclean  spirits,  as  soon  as  the  symbolical  Euphrates  is  dried 
up.  In  this  country  we  find  Papist,  skeptic  and  sensualist 
combining  to  thrust  the  Bible  out  of  our  public  schools,  and 
manifesting  a  close  affinity  for  all  forms  of  opposition  to  the 
religion  of  an  open  Bible. 

It  would  not  conflict  with  the  record  of  past  history,  nor 
do  violence  to  these  symbols,  nor  be  in  disharmony  with  the 
spirit  of  hatred  manifested  by  these  opposing  powers,  to 
anticipate  their  coalescing  for  more  extensive  aggressions.* 
Indeed,  there  may  be  a  general  league  among  them,  as  there 
is  now  ramified  all  over  this  country  a  liquor  league,  for  the 
purpose  of  getting  possession  of  the  places  of  power,  by  fail- 
means  or  foul.  To  suppose  that  proscription  and  persecu 
tion  would  be  foreign  to  their  spirit  or  policy  under  such 
circumstances,  would  be  ignoring  all  their  precedents  and 
instincts.  For  some  such  purposes  of  aggression,  such  as 
reinstating  the  Pope  as  a  temporal  power  over  his  unwilling 
subjects  and  suppressing  free  speech,  or  it  may  be  to  revolu 
tionize  everything  in  the  present  order  of  things,  these 
unclean  spirits  will  gather  their  adherents  together  to  the 
battle  of  the  great  day  of  God  Almighty,  f  Then  let  the 
warning  be  sounded  in  every  ear,  "  Behold  I  come  as  a  thief. 
Blessed  is  he  that  walketh  and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he 
walk  naked  and  they  see  his  shame."  Thus  the  world  is 
prepared  for  the  last  dread  outpouring  of  wrath  before  the 
glorious  dawn  of  the  millennial  Sabbath.  (See  Poem,  Canto 
II,  stanzas  82-95.) 

*  Note  7,  Canto  II,  stanza  82.  t  Note  8,  Canto  II,  stanza  83. 


104       INTRODUCTORY  LECTURES. 


XL 


THE  SEVENTH  VIAL. 

The  angel  commissioned  the  vial  to  bear. 

Pours  out  its  contents  into  the  air. — CANTO  II,  STANZA  96 

And  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial  into  the  air ;  and  there  came 
a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  of  heaven,  from  the  throne,  saying,  It  is 
done. 

And  there  were  voices,  and  thunders,  and  lightnings  ;  and  there  was  a 
great  earthquake,  such  as  was  not  since  men  were  upon  the  earth,  so 
mighty  an  earthquake,  and  so  great. 

And  the  great  city  was  divided  into  three  parts,  and  the  cities  of  the 
nations  fell :  and  great  Babylon  came  in  remembrance  before  God,  to  give 
unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath. 

And  every  island  fled  away,  and  the  mountains  were  not  found. 

And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of  heaven,  every  stone 
about  the  weight  of  a  talent :  and  men  blasphemed  God  because  of 
the  plague  of  the  hail :  for  the  plague  thereof  was  exceeding  great. — 
REV.  xvi.  17-21. 

THIS  passage  describes  the  results  of  the  outpouring  of  the 
seventh  vial.  The  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  chapters 
seem"  to  be  a  more  detailed  history  of  the  same  great  events 
that  are  here  foreshadowed.  That  these  chapters  foretell 
the  destruction  of  ecclesiastical  despotism — in  other  words, 
the  utter  overthrow  of  Papal  Rome,  as  well  as  every  ecclesi 
astical  power  to  oppress  the  masses  by  a  resort  to  the  civil 
arm — has,  to  my  own  mind,  the  force  of  absolute  conviction: 
though  I  would  by  no  means  presume  to  show  just  how  it  is 
to  be  .done.  We  read  in  the  sixth  vial,  at  the  close  of  its 
fearful  delineations,  that  there  was  a  gathering  together  for 
"the  great  day  of  God  Almighty."  The  kings  of  the  earth 
and  of  the  whole  world  were  gathered  together  into  a  place 
called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon.  This  was  but  a 
preparation  for  a  great  battle.  The  hosts  stand  opposed  to 
each  other,  ready  for  the  strife,  when  the  vial  is  poured  out 
into  the  air  as  a  signal  for  the  conflict  to  commence.  Barnes 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  10$ 

says,  with  reference  to  this:  "Why  the  vial  was  poured  into 
the  air  is  not  stated.  The  most  probable  supposition  as  to 
the  idea  intended  to  be  represented  is,  that  as  storms  and 
tempests  seem  to  be  engendered  in  the  air,  so  this  destruction 
would  come  from  some  supernatural  cause,  as  if  the  whole 
atmosphere  should  be  filled  with  wind  and  storm,  and  a 
furious  and  desolating  whirlwind  should  be  aroused  by  some 
invisible  power."*  I  do  not  know  that  it  is  necessary  to 
expect  any  supernatural  power,  but  merely  that  this  indicates 
an  exceedingly  stormy  period  in  human  affairs.  The  sym 
bolism  would  seem  to  describe  great  political  and  ecclesi 
astical  revolutions  and  commotions.  The  description  is 
awfully  sublime.  The  angel  hovers  in  the  clouds,  with 
pinions  far  outstretched,  and  as  the  warring  nations  stand 
expectant  on  the  brink  of  a  most  tremendous  battle,  he  lets 
loose  from  his  vial — their  prison — the  giants  of  the  storm,  as 
the  winds  were  wont  to  be  loosed  from  the  cave  of  yEolus. 
Just  as  the  whirlwind  and  thundergust  are  about  to  dash 
their  ruin  over  the  world,  "  a  great  voicef  is  heard  out  of  the 
temple  of  heaven,  from  the  throne,  saying,  IT  IS  DONE." 
The  pending  conflict  shall  be  decided  in  favor  of  the  powers 
of  righteousness.  Political  and  ecclesiastical  tyranny  shall 
go  down  in  the  crash  of  battle,  and  civil  and  religious  liberty, 
twin  daughters  of  a  pure  Christianity,  shall  be  enthroned, 
henceforth  to  rule  the  Christian  world.  And  now  the  battle 
begins.  Earth  and  sky  join  in  the  tumult  of  arms.  There 
are  voices,!  and  thunders,  and  lightnings,  first  as  the  distant 
murmurs§  of  the  corning  storm  which  is  gathering  over  the 
world,  its  pealings  and  mutterings  growing  louder,  the  winds 
hissing  and  roaring  more  fearfully,  the  clouds  increasing  in 
volume  and  gathering  blackness  as  they  approach,  until  the 
earthquake  and  the  thundergust  shake  and  cleave  the  solid 
earth,  the  mountains  sink  in  the  convulsions,  the  islands  are 
swallowed  up  by  the  greedy  ocean,  and  terrified  nature 
trembles  and  turns  pale  lest  her  doom  should  be  utter 
destruction.  The  account  says :  "  There  was  a  great  earth 
quake,  such  as  was  not  since  men  were  upon  earth,  so  mighty 
an  earthquake,  and  so  great."  This  may  portend  a  literal 

*  See  his  Notes,  in  loco.  t  Note  10,  Canto  II,  stanza  97. 

$  Note  n,  Canto  II,  stanza  99.  §  Note  12.  Canto  II,  stan^aioo, 

5* 


106       INTRODUCTORY  LECTURES. 

earthquake,  along  with  the  conflicts  which  distinguish  this 
stormy  period, — for  the  earth  seems  to  sympathize  with 
her  children  in  their  struggles, — which  may  result  in  great 
physical  changes,  though  the  symbolism  does  not  absolutely 
require  it. 

Appleton's  Cyclopedia  says:  "The  approach  of  earth 
quakes  is  heralded  by  premonitory  symptoms  of  unmis 
takable  character.  The  air  seems  to  be  affected  in  some 
respect,  perhaps  in  its  electric  condition,  and  the  brute  ani 
mals  show  a  sensitiveness  to  this,  by  uttering  cries  of  distress 
and  running  wildly  about.  Men  are  sometimes  affected  by 
dizziness  and  a  sensation  like  sea-sickness.  The  atmosphere 
is  often  hazy  for  months,  and  the  sun,  seen  through  it,  is 
often  red  and  fiery.  The  weather  suddenly  changes  from 
fierce  gusts  of  wind  to  dead  calms,  and  rains  pour  down  in 
torrents,  at  times  or  in  places  where  they  are  of  rare  occur 
rence.  Immediately  before  the  shocks  occur,  the  air  is  gen 
erally  very  still,  while  the^  surface  of  the  ocean  or  lake  is 
usually  disturbed.  A  sound*  then  breaks  from  the  stillness, 
like  distant  thunder,  or  like  a  carriage  rumbling  afar  upon  a 
rough  pavement ;  or  it  may  break  at  once  with  an  awful 
explosion,  as  when  the  peal  and  the  flash  come  together  from 
every  part  of  a  cloud  in  which  one  is  enveloped ;  at  the  same 
time  the  ground  is  shaken,  or  lifted  upward,  or  thrown  for 
ward,  as  by  the  passage  of  an  irresistible  wave  beneath  it. 
The  shocks  may  be  repeated  several  times  in  quick  succes 
sion,  or  recur  after  long  intervals;  the  movements  may  be  so 
great  as  to  rend  the  surface  into  chasms,  and  these  may  open 
and  shut  again,  or  remain  in  fissures  the  width  of  a  few  feet 
or  yards,  and  extending  to  unknown  depths — smoke  and 
flames  are  occasionally  sent  forth  from  them  during  the 
continuance  of  the  earthquake,  even  if  the  region  be  not 
volcanic.  Torrents  of  water  are  ejected  from  these  chasms, 
and  springs  of  water  are  often  forced  by  the  convulsions  into 
new  directions.  Objects  on  the  surface,  as  dwellings,  trees, 
and  animals,  are  engulfed  in  the  chasms,  and  by  subsidence 
of  the  surface,  large  trees,  mountains  even,  and  whole  cities 
are  swallowed  up." 

There  was  an  awfui  exhibition  of  this  power  in  the  earth- 

*  Note  13.  Canto  II,  stanza  101. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  IO? 

quake  at  Lisbon.  The  city  was  shaking  and  falling.  Fifteen 
thousand  people  rushed  out  upon  the  quay  which  had  just 
been  built,  to  get  away  from  the  falling  houses;  an  awful 
crash  of  the  earthquake,  and  the  quay,  harbor,  ships,  people, 
all  sank  into  the  tremendous  chasm,  and  caught  fast  in  the 
adamant  jaws  of  the  earth,  not  a  spar,  not  a  shred  came 
back  to  the  surface  to  tell  what  had  been  there.  This  terri 
ble  power  was  also  fearfully  illustrated  by  the  earthquake  in 
Peru  in  1868,  in  which  whole  provinces  were  devastated,  and 
cities  and  mountains  sunk.  "  Occurring  also,  as  they  most 
frequently  do,  along  the  seaboard,*  the  water  is  observed 
commonly  to  retire  for  some  distance,  leaving  the  harbors 
dry,  and  then  to  return  in  a  great  wave  of  many  feet  in 
height,  which  sweeps  everything  before  it."  This  was  pecu 
liarly  the  case  in  the  last  named  earthquake.  The  tidal 
wave  was  frightfully  destructive.  "  Of  all  calamities  f  to 
which  men  are  exposed,  there  is  none  of  so  fearful  a  char 
acter  as  earthquakes ;  none  involve  such  terrible  and  devas 
tating  destruction  to  life  and  property.  There  is  none  of  the 
approach  of  which  he  is  less  forewarned,  and  none  against 
which  he  can  take  as  few  precautions.  The  very  myste- 
riousness  of  the  danger  oppresses  him  with  terror.  He  is 
ignorant  in  what  form  it  is  most  imminent,  or  in  what  direc 
tion  to  seek  a  way  of  escape." 

There  can  be  little  reasonable  doubt  J  that  the  earthquake 
and  hailstorm  of  our  text  symbolize  the  commotions  of  the 
great  battle  of  Armageddon.  Yet,  if  this  war  is  to  occur 
in  Italy,  around  Rome,  the  possibility  of  which  has  already 
been  hinted,  it  being  a  country  subject  to  terrible  volcanic 
influences,  an  awful  earthquake,  with  some  frightful  eruption 
of  Vesuvius,  or  of  some  other  volcano,  scattering  volcanic 
stones  for  miles  around,  may  not  be  among  the  impossible 
incidents  of  those  stormy  days ;  though  the  symbolism  will  be 
satisfied  by  the  fearful  civil  commotions  which  are  undoubt 
edly  here  intended.  A  coincidence  of  the  kind  is  furnished 
by  the  battle  of  Lake  Trasymenus,  during  which  there  was 
a  severe  earthquake,  which  destroyed  one  city  and  many 
smaller  towns. 

*  Note  14,  Canto  II,  stanza  102.  t  Note  15,  Canto  II,  stanza  102. 

$  Note  16,  Canto  II,  stanza  103. 


IOS  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

The  farther  effects  of  this  great  earthquake  are  noted : 
"And  the  great  city  was  divided  into  three  parts,*  and  the 
cities  of  the  nations  fell."  This  effect  may  be  accomplished 
on  Rome  by  a  literal  earthquake,  as  some  believe.  Scientific 
men  tell  us  that  there  is  a  subterranean  current  or  vein 
of  volcanic  material  or  influence — whatever  is  the  cause 
of  volcanoes  and  earthquakes — running  from  Vesuvius  out 
under  the  sea  along  the  coast,  and  again  under  the  land, 
directly  beneath  the  city.  So,  when  Jehovah  sees  fit  to  light 
the  train,  Rome  may  be  overthrown  without  a  miracle.  Or, 
this  may  describe  the  divided  state  of  the  city,  when  the  war 
of  Armageddon  is  thundering  around  its  walls,  as  Jerusalem 
was  divided  into  three  hostile  factions  during  the  siege  which 
resulted  in  its  destruction.  Or,  again,  it  may  describe  the 
Roman  power ;  the  Roman  Catholic  world  may  be  divided 
into  three  discordant  factions,  by  these  political  and  eccle 
siastical  convulsions,  and  thus  Papal  domination  will  be 
destroyed.  And  those  cities  of  the  nations  which  have 
upheld  it  shall  fall  in  the  same  convulsions  as  Paris  has 
fallen;  or  they  may  fall  away  from  supporting  the  Papacy,  as 
Munich  has  under  the  lead  of  Doctor  Dollinger.  Barnes 
remarks  upon  this :  "  All  that  it  seems  to  me  can  be  said  on 
the  point  now  is,  (a)  that  it  refers  to  Papal  Rome,  or  the 
Papal  power ;  (b)  that  it  relates  to  something  yet  future,  and 
that  it  may  not  be  possible  to  determine,  with  precise  accu 
racy,  what  will  occur ;  (c)  that  it  probably  means  that,  in  the 
time  of  the  final  ruin  of  that  power,  there  will  be  a  three-fold 
judgment;  either  a  different  judgment  in  regard  to  some 
three-fold  manifestation  of  that  power,  or  a  succession  of 
judgments,  as  if  one  part  were  smitten  at  a  time.  The 
certain  and  entire  ruin  of  the  power  is  predicted  by  this, 
but  still  it  is  not  improbable  that  it  will  be  by  such  divisions, 
or  successions  of  judgments,  that  it  is  proper  to  represent 
the  city  as  divided  into  three  parts." 

We  read,  further  on,  that  "  Great  Babylon  came  in  remem 
brance  before  God."f  As  this  is  a  common  symbol  of  the 
Papal  power,  the  mention  of  it  in  connection  with  the  ore- 
going,  would  seem  to  preclude  the  idea  that  the  city  tl  ere 

*  Note  17,  Canto  II,  stanza  io5.  t  Note  18,  Canto  II,  stanza  117. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  1 09 

symbolizes  that  power.  It  would  rather  favor  the  idea  that 
some  literal  city  is  there  meant.  But,  however  this  may  be, 
we  may  be  sure  of  one  thing,  and  that  is,  the  ultimate  end 
of  these  calamities  is  "  to  give  unto  "  Papal  Rome  "  the  cup 
of  the  wine  of  the  fierceness  of  God's  wrath." 

The  next  clause  in  our  text  seems  still  further  to  favor  the 
idea  that  these  convulsions  may  be  in  part  physical,  as  well 
as  political.  It  informs  us  that  "  every  island  fled  away,* 
and  the  mountains  were  not  found."  Islands  are  often  tem 
porarily  covered  by  the  tidal  wave  during  the  continuance 
of  earthquakes,  and  sometimes  permanently  sunk  under  the 
waves.  And,  as  we  have  seen,  mountains  are  sometimes 
sunk  out  of  sight.  This  may  be  the  case  in  Italy  and  along 
the  coast.  The  great  earthquake  may  cause  her  beautiful 
islands  to  disappear,  and  even  Vesuvius  itself,  with  other 
mountains  around,  may  be  sunk  into  the  bowels  of  the 
earth,  in  the  awful  convulsion.  Some  look  for  some  such 
events.  Thus  the  hailstormf  would  be  explained.  Amid 
the  wrack  of  continents,  and  the  terrific  eruptions  of  vol 
canic  fires  from  the  convulsed  earth,  such  a  hailstorm  as 
never  before  was  known  might  be  a  natural  accompaniment 
of  the  great  earthquake.  Stones  might  fall  for  miles  around, 
flang  out  of  the  bowels  of  the  earth  by  the  Titanic  powers 
of  subterranean  tempests,  even  larger  than  those  mentioned 
in  the  text.  When  we  see  the  winds  and  the  flames  destroy 
ing  such  a  city  as  Chicago  ;J  the  very  "  elements  "  in  the 
mighty  furnace  "  melting  with  fervent  heat ; "  the  most 
enduring  structures  prostrated  before  the  fiery  blast,  we 
are,  in  a  measure,  prepared  to  expect  the  possibility  of 
these  predicted  convulsions.  We  can  more  easily  imagine 
how  the  tremendous  powers  of  the  earthquake,  the  flaming 
vomit  of  the  volcano,  heaved  from  its  burning  entrails,  the 
winds  carrying  the  devouring  fires  along  the  parched  surface 
of  the  earth,  the  heavens  black  with  the  wrathful  tempest, 
pealing  their  thunders  in  answer  to  the  voice  of  the  earth 
quake,  and  launching  their  thunderbolts'  like  hailstones 
upon  the  works  of  men,  all  combined,  should  produce  a 

*  Note  19,  Canto  IT,  stanza  109.  t  Note  20,  Canto  II,  stanza  no. 

%  This  lecture  was  rewritten  after  that  great  fire. 


IIO  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

scene  of  indescribable  terror,  when  the  very  mountains, 
having  their  foundacions  battered  away  by  the  warring 
Titans  beneath,  should  sink  in  the  limbos  of  the  tempest, 
the  islands,  overwhelmed  by  the  waves,  should  disappear,  and 
the  Eternal  City,  with  its  environs,  its  mighty  walls,  its  lofty 
domes,  and  its  enduring  structures,  which  have  withstood  the 
impinging  elements  for  more  than  two  thousand  years,  should 
sink  beneath  the  storm,  like  frail  reeds  before  the  tornado. 
At  any  rate,  these  tremendous  agencies,  used  merely  as 
symbols,  must  shadow  forth  terrific  political  convulsions. 
What  they  may  be,  or  when  they  may  occur,  remains  yet 
to  be  seen. 

Before  proceeding  to  my  final  inquiry  with  reference  to 
this  great  war  of  Armageddon,  I  will  notice  briefly  the  next 
two  chapters.  Mr.  Barnes  says  of  the  seventeenth  :  "  This 
chapter  properly  commences  a  more  detailed  description  of 
the  judgment  inflicted  upon  the  formidable  anti-Christian 
power  referred  to  in  the  last  chapter,  though  under  a  new 
image.  It  contains  an  account  of  the  sequel  of  the  pouring 
out  of  the  last  vial,  etc."  As  we  have  remarked  before,  it 
contains  the  symbol  of  the  abandoned  woman  clothed  in 
purple  and  scarlet  color,  and  decked  with  gold  and  precious 
stones  and  pearls,  "  seated  upon  the  scarlet-colored  beast 
having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns."*  This  represents  the 
Papal  power  as  it  existed  some  time  before  and  during  the 
continuance  of  the  plagues  we  have  been  contemplating. 
(See  my  lecture  on  the  symbols  of  Despotism.  See  also 
Barnes'  Notes  on  this  passage.) 

The  1 8th  chapter  contains  a  lament  for  Babylon,  portray 
ing  by  its  striking  symbolism  the  condition  of  all  despotic 
powers  after  the  awful  battle  or  war  of  Armageddon.  (See 
Poem,  Canto  II,  stanza  116;  also,  Barnes'  Notes  on  this 
chapter.) 

The  i gth  chapter,  to  the  loth  verse,  speaks  of  the  tri 
umphant  songsf  of  God's  people  over  Papal  domination 
hopelessly  overthrown  in  this  war.  Henceforth  there  is  to 
be  no  hindrance  in  the  way  of  the  gospel,  from  this  power 

*  Note  21,  Canto  II,  stanza  114. 

t  Note  22,  Canto  II,  stanza  118.     See  also  stanzas  119  122. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  Ill 

uplifting  the  civil  arm  in  the  Christian  world  against  the 
truth.  All  such  opposing  powers  go  down  in  the  shock 
of  Armageddon.  Bat  the  work  is  not  all  done,  for  the 
heathen  world  still  remains.  What  shall  be  done  in  that, 
as  shadowed  forth  in  the  remaining  symbols,  shall  be  the 
subject  of  my  last  lecture.  Our  next  question  here  is — 

"When  shall  these  things  be?"  In  the  light  of  the  events 
of  the  sixth  vial,  may  we  look  for  any  of  them  in  passing 
events  ?  Has  the  seventh  vial  yet  been  poured  out  ?  We 
will  not  dare  to  affirm  our  conviction  very  positively  that  it 
has.  But  we  may  say, 

1.  The   supposition   that  it  has  been    poured    out  does 
not  come  in  collision  with  Mr.  Barnes'  opinion  that  it  was, 
when  he  wrote,,  a  future  event.      He  wrote   his  Notes   on 
Revelation  more  than  twenty  years  ago.      That  period  has 
been  crowded  with  some  of  the  most  momentous,  fearful  and 
portentous  events  in  the  history  of  the  world,  especially  in 
their  bearing  upon  despotic  power.      In  the  rapid  march  of 
events  it  may  be  considered  probable  that  room  would  be 
made  for  this  last  outpouring  during  that  period. 

2.  It  would  not  clash  with  my   own   exposition   of   the 
sixth  vial  as  symbolizing  events  that  may  yet  be  far  in  the 
future.     For  we  have  seen  that  the  effects  of  some  vials  have 
not  ceased  even  until  after  the  outpouring  of  several  subse 
quent  ones.     Those  things  symbolized  by  the  three  unclean 
spirits  may  yet  be  far  in  the  future,  and  yet  this  vial  may 
have  been  poured  out.     There  are  difficulties,  I  know,  in  the 
way,  but  not,  I  think,  insuperable.     The  natural  connection 
of  the   passage  would    lead  us    to    suppose    that   the  three 
unclean  spirits  of  the  former  vial  led  or  inspired  the  evil 
powers  that  were  marshaled  against  the  Church  in  the  war 
of    Armageddon.      If   so,    according    to    the    interpretation 
which  we  have  defended,  the  seventh  vial  could  not  have 
been  poured  out  until  after  the  gathering  together  of  these 
powers.      We  cannot  be  certain   in   this  matter  until   time 
brings  the  consummation  of  the  great  impending  events  of 
this    momentous    age;    and    if  we   find  those  which   pretty 
clearly  point  to  the  seventh  vial  as  their  symbol  we  need  not 
be  stumbled  in  receiving  them  as  such,  fully  confident  that 
all  will,  in  the  end,  harmonize  with  each  other,  and  with  the 


112       INTRODUCTORY  LECTURES. 

symbols  which  foreshadow  them.  So,  if  the  student  of 
prophecy  should  conclude  that  the  seventh  vial  has  already 
been  poured  out,  it  may  be  that  coming  events  will  prove 
that  he  is  correct.  It  may  be  that  we  are  hearing  the  voices 
and  the  thunders,  and  seeing  the  lightnings  of  the  fearful 
war  of  Armageddon.  Undoubtedly  the  seventh  vial  will 
reach  every  influence  opposing  Christianity.  Papal  Domi 
nation  and  Political  Despotism  are  not  the  only  forms  of 
opposition  which  must  go  down  in  the  Christian  world  under 
this  outpouring.  Mammon,  Intemperance,  Infidelity  and 
Licentiousness  must  be  scorched  and  consumed  in  the  fires 
of  wrath.  I  confess  that  my  search  among,  the  symbols  of 
prophecy  for  the  great  war  in  Europe  and  the  horrors  of 
Paris;  for  the  recent  folly  of  the  Ecumenical  Council  of 
Rome  and  the  destruction  of  the  temporal  power  of  the 
Pope ;  for  the  swinging  away  of  Germany  from  Rome,  under 
the  lead  of  Dollinger,  and  even  for  Sadowa,  has  not  been, 
and  cannot  be,  entirely  satisfactory,  without  supposing  that 
the  seventh  vial  has  been  already  outpoured,  and  that  these 
events  are  the  voices  and  thunders  and  lightnings  of  the 
stormy  period  foreshadowed  by  this  aerial  outpouring.  The 
earthquake,  the  falling  cities,  the  fleeing  islands,  the  sinking 
mountains,  and  the  great  hailstorm,  may  yet  be  future  events, 
which  the  uneasy  elements  are  preparing  for  the  offending 
powers  of  evil.  Their  outburst  may  be  nearer  than  we 
think.  It  may  be  that  the  fearful  destruction  of  property  by 
recent  fires,  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the  world,  is  the 
effect  of  this  vial  upon  the  power  of  Mammon,  designed  to 
rebuke  his  greed  and  prepare  a  better  state  of  things  for  the 
spread  of  a  purer  and  nobler  type  of  Christianity.  Un 
doubtedly  such  will  be  the  effect  of  them.  If  such  be  the 
case,  we  may  look  for  other  fearful  visitations  which  shall 
more  directly  touch  the  other  forms  of  evil  mentioned. 

Whether  the  above  be  true  or  not,  we  may  be  sure  that  the 
time  of  the  seventh  vial  is  close  upon  us.  No  doubt  the 
next  twenty-five  years  will  be  crowded  as  thickly  with  great 
events  as  the  past.  In  an  age  of  steam  and  lightning  the 
forces  of  history,  evil  as  well  as  good,  are  generated  and 
matured  with  astonishing  rapidity.  The  harvest  and  the 
vintage  of  the  earth  are  both  rapidly  ripening,  and  the 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  113 

angels,  with  their  sharp  sickles,  stand  ready  to  reap.  The 
harvest  shall  be  gathered  into  the  garner  of  Jehovah ;  the 
clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth  shall  be  cast  into  the 
wine-press  of  the  wrath  of  God.  A  voice  in  current  events 
seems  to  sound  from  the  heights  of  Revelation :  "  Be  ye 
also  ready  " — "  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth  and  keepeth  his 
garments,  lest  he  walk  naked  and  they  see  his  shame."* 

*  See  Poem,  Canto  II,  stanza  87. 


14  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 


XII. 

THE     DARKNESS     AND     TEMPEST    BEFORE 
THE    DAWN. 

But  yonder  rises  a  Mack  cloud  of  wrath. — CANTO  III,  STANZA  17. 

And  I  saw  heaven*  opened,  and  behold,  a  white  horse  ;  and  he  that  sat 
upon  him  was  called  Faithful  and  True,  and  in  righteousness  he  doth 
judge  and  make  war. 

His  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire,  and  on  his  head  were  many  crowns  ; 
and  he  had  a  name  written,  that  no  man  knew,  but  he  himself. 

And  he  was  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood :  and  his  name  is 
called  The  Word  of  God. 

And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven  followed  him  upon  white  horses, 
clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean. 

And  out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that  with  it  he  should 
smite  the  nations :  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron :  and  he 
treadeth  the  wine-press  of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God. 

And  he  hath  on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name  written,  KING 
OF  KINGS,  AND  LORD  OF  LORDS. 

And  I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun ;  and  he  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  saying  to  all  the  fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  Come,  and 
gather  yourselves  together  unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God  ; 

That  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the 
flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on 
them,  and  the  flesh  of  all  men,  both  free  and  bond,  both  small  and  great. 

And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  their  armies, 
gathered  together  to  make  war  against  him  that  sat  on  the  horse,  and 
against  his  army. 

And  the  beast  was  taken,  and  with  him  the  false  prophet  that  wrought 
miracles  before  him,  with  which  he  deceived  them  that  had  received  the 
mark  of  the  beast,  and  them  that  worshiped  his  image.  These  both 
were  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimstone. 

And  the  remnant  were  slain  with  the  sword  of  him  that  sat  upon  the 
horse,  which  sword  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth :  and  all  the  fowls  were 
filled  with  their  flesh. — REV.  xix.  11-21. 

WHILE  I  fully  believe  that  these  prophetic  symbols  are 
receiving  a  rapid  fulfillment  in  our  day,  I  am  not,  in  any 
proper  sense,  a  Millerite  nor  a  Second  Adventist,  as  a  certain 

*  Note  i,  Canto  III,  stanza  i. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  11$ 

sect  of  modern  origin  is  styled.  Mr.  Miller,  and  others  who 
have  followed  in  his  steps,  have  undoubtedly  done  great 
service  in  calling  attention  to  these  startling  prophecies, 
and  inducing  a  great  deal  of  study  of  prophetic  symbols. 
But  there  are  several  serious  defects  in  their  methods  of 
interpretation. 

1.  One  is,  they  often  assume  to  forecast  future  specific 
events  from  these  symbols,  whereas,  such  is  their  nature  that 
nothing  but  of  a  general  character  can  be,  or,  indeed,  ever 
was  intended  to  be  known  of  them  until  the  events  them 
selves  shall  furnish  the  correct  interpretation  of  them.     The 
reason  for  this  is  obvious:  men  are  to  be  the  unconscious 
agents  in  the  fulfillment  of  very  many  of  the  most  important 
of  them. 

2.  They  have  mistaken  the  method   of  interpreting  the 
prophetic   period  of   the  "  one  thousand  two  hundred  and 
sixty  days."     They  proceed  as  if  the  rise  of  the  anti-Chris 
tian  powers,  whose  term  of  existence  is  here  foreshadowed, 
had  been  instantaneous,  whereas  it  was  by  gradual  steps. 
We  have  hinted  before,  that  if  this  period,  added  to  the  date 
of  any  considerable  advance  of  Papal  Prerogative,  should 
mark  the  date  of  any  considerable  loss  of  the  same,  and  the 
process  be  repeated  until  the  date  of*  the  final  destruction  is 
reached,    the    symbolism   will    be    satisfied.      Suppose    the 
student    of  history    and    prophecy    should  find    that    in,  or 
near,  the  year  529  the  Papal  Prerogative  made  considerable 
advance,  and   should   add  the   period   in    question    to    that 
date,  and  find  the  date  of  the  French  Revolution,  which  was 
a  heavy  blow  upon  the    Papacy ;    suppose  he   should    find 
another  advance  in  the  year  538,  and  by  the  same  process 
should  obtain  1798,  the  year  of  the  Italian  Revolution, .which 
drove  the  Pope  from  Rome.     Again,  suppose  he  should  find 
still  another  advance  of  Papal  Prerogative  in  588,  and  from 
that  should  find  the  date  of  the  second  Italian  Revolution, 
1848,  when  the   Pope  was  again   driven  from  Rome;    and 
another  advance  in  606,  and  find  the  date  of  Sadowa,  1866, 
by  the  same  process;  and  still  again  another  advance  in  610, 
by  which  he  would  reach  the  date  of  the  great  war  of  1870, 
and  the  destruction  of  the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope, — 
would  he  not  find  a  key  to  the'  meaning  and  application  of 


Il6  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

this  prophetic  period  ?  Most  of  these  several  dates  have,  on 
some  such  data,  been  fixed  by  different  authorities  for  the 
destruction  of  the  Papal  Domination.  That  they  have  all 
marked  a  great  loss  to  the  Pope's  prerogative  is  a  fact 
which  must  be  put  down  as  something  more  than  a  mere 
coincidence.  This  may  explain  the  mistakes  that  have  been 
made  in  calculating  the  time  of  the  destruction  of  this 
power.  It  will  doubtless  be  seen  that  when  the  last  blow  is 
struck,  if  from  its  date  the  period  in  question  be  deducted, 
we  shall  find  the  date  of  another  important  advance  of  that 
prerogative.  It  is  very  plain  that  the  student  could  not,  from 
this  data,  predict  the  time  of  the  utter  downfall  of  this  power, 
only,  at  best,  some  disaster  which  would,  it  is  true,  tend  to 
its  destruction. 

3.  They  have  made  another  mistake  in  supposing  that 
this  period  indicates  the  time  of  the  second  advent  of 
Christ;  whereas,  it  was,  evidently,  only  designed  to  mark 
the  date  of  the  destruction  of  anti-Christian  powers.  If  a 
long  period  should  elapse  before  the  commencement  of  the 
millennium,  after  these  powers  shall  be  put  out  of  the  way  of 
the  progress  of  Christianity,  it  would  in  no  degree  impair 
the  truthfulness  of  these  prophetic  symbols.  We  shall 
endeavor  to  show  that  the  Church  is  only  just  prepared 
by  these  events  for  her  great  aggressive  work  in  subduing 
the  world  to  the  power  of  Christ,  preparatory  to  his  second 
coming.  This  must  require  time,  though  how  long  is  not 
indicated  in  these  symbols. 

I.  We  have  already  remarked  that  the  first  ten  verses  of 
this  chapter  are  descriptive  of  the  songs*  of  triumph  over  the 
powers  of  evil,  sung  by  the  people  of  heaven.  The  eleventh 
verse  introduces  a  new  set  of  symbols,  and,  as  it  seems  to 
me,  a  new  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Church.  The  vision 
has  hitherto  been  confined  to  the  Christian  world.  Little 
reference  has  been  had,  if  our  exposition  is  correct,  to  the 
vast  portions  of  the  earth  which  are  covered  with  the  dark 
ness  of  heathenism.  We  cannot  suppose  that  in  a  book  of 
the  future  history  of  the  Church  so  many  peoples  would  be 
left  out.  The  great  struggles,  up  to  this  point,  have  been  for 

*  See-Poem,  Canto  II,  stanzas  118-122. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  1 1/ 

the  purpose  of  putting  the  obstacles  which  have  opposed 
themselves  in  Christian  lands,  out  of  the  way  of  the  spread 
of  the  religion  of  the  Bible.  Now  the  piercing  eye  of 
prophecy  is  directed,  for  a  moment,  to  the  great  work  of 
evangelizing  heathen  countries.  The  grandest  achievements 
of  the  Church  are  yet  to  come.  It  was  for  these  that  she 
endured  long  ages  of  the  severest  discipline.  The  terrible 
scenes  through  which  she  has  passed  during  the  outpour 
ing  of  the  seven  vials,  have  prepared  her  for  abounding  in 
the  work.  The  destruction  of  life  and  property  in  the  wars, 
floods,  and  flames,  has  taught  her  to  put  a  proper  estimate 
upon  these  things.  Now  heaven  is  opened,*  and  the  man 
who  is  called  "  Faithful  and  True,"  and  also  "  The  Word 
of  God,"  as  well  as  other  significant  names,  comes  upon 
a  white  horse,  and  the  armies  of  heaven  follow  him  on 
white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean ;  and 
out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that  with  it  he 
should  smite  the  nations.  These  symbols  indicate  some 
triumphant  demonstrations  from  heaven,  of  unusual  power. 
That  one  of  the  names  of  this  rider  is,  "  The  Word  of  God," 
and  that  a  sword  proceedeth  out  of  his  mouth,  instead  of  being 
held  in  his  hand,  would  seem  to  point  to  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  with  an  unparalleled  power  and  success.  I  have 
no  doubt  but  it  has  reference  to  the  same  event  that  is 
referred  to  in  Rev.  xiv.  6,  where  John  says :  "  And  I  saw 
another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  ever 
lasting  gospel  to  preach  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and 
to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people."  The 
sword  is  to  "  smite  the  nations ;  "  in  other  words,  to  subju 
gate  them.  The  gospel  is  to  be  preached,  and  gain  a  strong 
hold  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. f  We  remark,  with 
reference  to  this : 

i.  The  Christian  world  will  have  been  so  thoroughly  pre 
pared  by  the  conflicts  that  are  just  past,  that  it  will  go  to 
work  with  a  zeal  and  energy  it  has  never  before  shown. 
Skepticism  will  have  been  so  rebuked  and  shamed  by  the 
displays  of  God's  hand  in  these  things,  that  it  will  no  more 
interpose  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  aggressive  work  of  the 

*  See  Poem,  Canto  I,  stanza  i.  t  Note  2,  Canto  III,  stanza  3. 


IlS  INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES. 

Church ;  but  will  rather  join  hands  with  the  people  of  God, 
and  help  on  the  glorious  cause.  The  Church  will  be  bap 
tized  anew  with  the  mission  spirit  ;*  she  will  give  her  wealth 
a  hundred-fold  more  liberally  into  the  treasuries  of  the 
Lord;  missionaries  will  go  by  thousands,!  instead  of  by 
twos;  they  will  preach  Christ  with  unwonted  faith  and  fer 
vor;  the  Holy  Spirit  will  carry  the  preached  word  to  the 
heart  and  conscience  with  unwonted  power,  and  "  the  moun 
tain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  exalted  above  the  tops  of 
the  hills,  and  all  nations!  shall  flow  unto  it." 

2.  We  should  expect,  from  the  unwonted  display  of  the 
heavenly  powers  in  these  symbols,  and  from  other  circum 
stances  already  hinted  at,  that  the  conquests  of  the  gospel 
would  now  be  exceedingly  rapid. 

(a.)  The  unanimity  of  Christians  in  the  work  would  con 
duce  to  this  end.  If  all  the  Church  could,  at  any  time,  feel 
the  pressing  importance  of  laboring  for  the  salvation  of  the 
heathen  at  all  commensurate  with  the  greatness  of  the  work, 
there  would  be  such  an  impetus  in  this  direction  as  the 
world  has  never  seen.  But  in  this  epoch  of  the  Christian 
world,  men  will  see  better  the  mighty  meaning  of  redemp 
tion,  and  they  will  labor,  pray,  and  give  with  a  more  com 
mensurate  zeal  and  liberality. 

(/;.)  The  tremendous  scenes  through  which  the  men  of 
the  world  will  have  passed,  will  also  prepare  their  hearts 
for  the  reception  of  the  truth.  The  plowshare  of  Jehovah 
will  have  been  so  fearfully  and  thoroughly  driven  through 
the  soil  of  humanity,  that  the  fallow  ground  will  be  broken 
up,  and  the  seed  of  the  gospel  will  have  abundant  chance  to 
germinate  and  bear  fruit. 

(c.)  The  appliances  of  art,  the  facilities  of  communica 
tion  by  steam  and  electricity,  the  amenities  of  commerce, 
and  the  sympathy  thus  engendered  and  nourished  between 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  will  facilitate  immensely  the  work 
pf  the  Church.  So  rapid  shall  this  work  be,  that  "  a  nation 
will  be  born  in  a  day."  Hundreds  of  millions  will  embrace 
Christ,  the  world  over. 

« 

*  Note  4,  Canto  III,  stanza  33.  t  Note  5,  Canto  III,  stanza  34. 

%  Note  6,  Canto  III,  stanza  35. 


INTRODUCTORY  LECTURES.       IIQ 

3.  Smiting  with  a  sword,  and  ruling  the  nations  with  a 
rod  of  iron,*  implies  the  great  influence  which  Christ  will 
acquire  by  the  successful  preaching  of  the  gospel.  That  it 
will  be  very  great,  cannot,  for  a  moment,  be  doubted. 

II.  But  the  rider  on  the  white  horse  bears  a  two-fold 
character.  That  which  is  implied  by  the  sharp  sword  pro 
ceeding  out  of  his  mouth,  is  his  prerogative  in  the  preached 
gospel.  But  "  he  treadeth  the  wine-press  of  the  fierceness 
of  the  wrath  of  Almighty  God."  This  indicates  something 
more  than  a  spiritual  warfare.  Again,  the  angel  standing  in 
the  sunf  and  calling  to  the  fowls  of  heaven  to  gather  them 
selves  together  to  the  supper  of  the  great  God,  is  an  unde 
niable  symbol  of  carnal  warfare  on  a  tremendous  and 
sanguinary  scale.  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  meaning  of 
the  symbol. 

The  nineteenth  verse  is  a  declaration  of  the  same  thing. 
The  beast  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  their  armies  are 
gathered  together  to  make  war  against  him  that  sat  on  the 
horse  and  against  his  army.  I  have  no  doubt  but  this  is  the 
beast  on  which  the  woman  sat,  as  represented  in  the  iyth 
chapter,  which  I  have  called  the  symbol  of  Political  Des 
potism.  The  woman,  or  the  Papacy,  was  destroyed  in  the  war 
of  Armageddon.  But  "the  beast  which  was  and  is  not  and 
yet  is,"J  still  lives,  and  is  now  rallying  the  kings  of  the  earth 
and  their  armies  against  the  Church.  How  this  may  be,  of 
course,  we  cannot  speak  positively,  as  this  symbolism  un 
doubtedly  points  to  still  future  events.  But  we  may  suppose 
that  the  Church  of  Christ  will  have  multiplied  so  extensively, 
in  all  heathen  countries,  as  to  threaten,  not  only  the  hitherto 
prevailing  religions,  but  even  the  despotic  prerogative  of  the 
kings  of  those  countries.  Paganism  will  feel  its  throne 
crumbling,  as  of  old  in  the  Roman  Empire,  before  the  ad 
vance  of  truth  and  righteousness,  and  will  be  aroused  to  a 
final  conflict  for  existence.  Under  the  symbol  of  the  beast 
it  will  call  the  kings§  of  the  earth  to  a  combined  effort  to 
crush  the  Church.  This  may  be  by  a  simultaneous  attack 
upon  it  throughout  their  realms, — by  the  torch  of  the  incen 
diary,  the  dagger  of  the  assassin,  and  by  the  sword  of 

*  Note  7,  Canto  III,  stanza  51.  t  See  Poem,  Canto  III,  stanza  7. 

%  Ibid,  stanza  19.  §  Note  8,  Canto  III,  stanza  74, 


120       INTRODUCTORY  LECTURES. 

persecution,  now  let  loose  again  and  flaming  over  the  world. 
The  Church  will  prove  too  strong  to  be  crushed  in  this 
manner,  for  it  will  rally  armies  to  defend  its  hearthstones 
and  altars.  It  will  have  millions  of  friends  throughout  the 
now  Christian  world  who  would  not  stand  idle  and  see  the 
horrors  of  Pagan  Rome  re-enacted  on  a  more  tremendous 
scale  than  even  under  that  Empire.  The  facilities  for  com 
munication  will  soon  send  vast  armies  to  threatened  points, 
and  the  same  agencies  may  draw  the  kings  and  their  armies 
together  into  one  or  a  few  vast  camps  of  Mars.  We  may 
well  imagine  that  in  the  populous  districts  of  Asia, — China, 
Hindustan  and  Burmah, — millions,  and  it  may  be  tens  of 
millions,  would  be  gathered  into  those  camps.  Perhaps 
Europe  and  America  may  also  send  their  millions  of  volun 
teers  to  help  the  cause  of  right ;  and  such  a  war  may  be 
waged  as  has  never  before  shook  the  world, — as  the  Last 
great  conflict  before  the  Dawn.*  The  imagery  of  this 
passage  justifies  such  an  expectation.  The  mighty  angel 
whose  brightness  eclipsed  the  sun,  his  call  to  the  fowls  of 
heaven ;  the  supper  of  the  great  God,  or  that  which  he  will 
give  to  the  fowls  of  heaven ;  the  armies  of  heaven  on  white 
horses,  and  the  fate  of  the  beast  and  false  prophet  and  of 
their  armies,  all  lead  us  to  expect  the  most  tremendous  and 
sanguinary  struggle  that  has  ever  occurred  on  the  globe. f 
But  the  result  of  the  battle  will  be  a  glorious  triumph  for  the 
Church.  It  prepares  the  way  for  the  binding  of  Satan  for 
the  thousand  years,  and  for  the  reign  of  Christ  on  earth. 

We  may  remark  on  this: 

i.  This  view  shows  the  mistake  of  those  who  are  looking 
for  the  speedy  coming  of  Christ  and  the  beginning  of  the 
Millennium.  It  is,  to  my  own  mind,  folly  to  be  looking  for 
the  immediate  personal  reign  of  Jesus,  with  the  heathen 
world  in  its  present  state,  unless  we  are  to  expect  that  all 
heathen  nations  are  to  be  swept  off  by  the  besom  of  one 
fearful  destruction.  My  mind  revolts  at  any  such  thought  as 
this.  I  look  for  the  evangelization  of  the  heathen  by  the 
ordinary  appliances  of  the  gospel,  extraordinarily  blessed. 
And  if  this  be  so,  this  expecting  the  immediate  coming  of 

*  Note  9,  Canto  1IT,  stanza  86.  t  Note  10,  Canto  III,  stanza  89. 


INTRODUCTORY    LECTURES.  121 

Christ  may  be  pernicious  by  tempting  the  Church  to  relax 
her  efforts  for  the  evangelization  of  the  world.  This  work 
must  require  time  in  the  ordinary  methods  of  God's  Provi 
dence.  Even  though  the  great  events  of  the  world  march 
on  with  the  accelerated  velocity  of  steam  and  electricity, 
still  it  must  require  time,  and  it  may  be  centuries. 

2.  If  our  scripture  chronology  is  correct,  the  morning  of 
the  blessed  Millennium  may  be  when  the  great  dial  of  time 
indicates  that  the  world  is  six  thousand   years    old,  which 
will  be  some  over  a  hundred  years  hence.     It  may  be  much 
longer;  it  may  be  shorter.      Children  may  now  have  been 
born  who  will  see  that  propitious  day,  in  the  flesh.     But  it 
is  hardly  wrorth  while  to  speculate  on  the  subject. 

3.  One  thing  is  certain  :    we  know  the  day  is  coming. 
These  signs  of  its  coming  cannot  lie,  and  we  are  almost  as 
sure  that,  compared  with  the  long  pilgrimage  of  the  Church 
thus  far  through  the  wilderness,  the   event  is  in  the  near 
coming  future.      Then  let   us  lift  up  our  heads  and  take 
courage,  and  battle  valiantly  for  the  Lord,*  "  forasmuch  as 
we  see  the  day  approaching." 

*  See  Poem,  Canto  3. 


6 


BEFORE   THE    DAWN. 


BEFORE   THE   DAWN. 


CANTO  I. 
NIGHT  AND  STORM. 


NIGHT,  gloomy  queen,  upon  thy  dusky  throne, 
Night  of  the  world  beneath  the  power  of  sin, 
Night,  when  the  race  the  reign  of  death  must  own, 
Midst  thy  deep  shadows  must  my  song  begin. 
Thy  clouds  and  tempests,  with  their  fearful  din, 
Must  now  the  rapture  of  my  muse  inspire, 
As  from  her  stormy  harp  some  strains  she'd  win, 
Tb  kindle  with  its  tones  poetic  fire, 
That,  roused  by  music,  she  may  gain  ambition's  hire. 

II 

Night  is  the  time  when  good  men  are  asleep, 
Seeking,  from  toil  and  tumult,  balmy  rest ; 
When  wicked  men  their  secret  vigils  keep, 
To  watch  for  mischief;  when,  in  stealthy  quest, 
The  assassin  creeps  to  pierce  his  victim's  breast 
With    murderous    knife ;    when    prowling    thieves 

abroad 

Search,  with  unholy  hands,  their  neighbor's  chest, 
To  steal  his  honest  gains ;  when  hags,  outlawed, 
Pursue  their  wretched  trade,  by  nothing  overawed. 


126  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

III. 

Night  is  a  season  when  tempestuous  wrath 
More  metely  conjures  up  its  boisterous  storms, 
When,  glancing  fiercely  on  the  thunderer's  path, 
The  lightning,  with  its  leaping  fires,  transforms 
Stark  midnight  into  noon  ;  when,  in  swift  swarms, 
The  legions  of  the  tempest  rush  and  thunder, 
Peal  from  the  shaking  sky  their  dread  alarms, 
As  if  to  rend  the  heavens  and  earth  asunder, 
And,  with   their  tumult,  fill    all   hearts  with   fear  and 
wonder. 

IV. 

But  night  has  calms,  when  wrangling  storms  are 

hushed, 

When,  from  the  clouds,  the  torrents  cease  to  fall, 
When,  off  the  sky,  the  murky  mists  are  brushed 
By  blandest  winds,  when,  sparkling  over  all, 
Rears  the  blue,  spangled  dome  ethereal ; 
\Vhen  moon  and  stars  their  glittering  hosts  array, 
And  all  to  one  another  grandly  call, 
Each  emulous  heaven's  mandates  to  obey, 
Far  as  their  orbits  run  out  on  the  milky  way. 


Night  hath  its  voices,  harsh,  discordant,  some, — 
The  owl's  weird  cry,  the  howls  of  beasts  of  prey, 
As  they,  for  food,  out  from  their  coverts  come : — 
Yet  on  the  city's  wall,  in  each  highway, 
Is  heard  the  watchman's  call,  till  coming  day, 
Assuring  safety :  then  are  trilled  the  songs 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  12J 

Of  nightingale,  which  sweetly  die  away, 
And  whip-poor-will  her  plaintive  notes  prolongs, 
In    lonely    groves,    retired    from    daylight's    bustling 
throngs. 

VI. 

There  is  a  night  that  ne'er  shall  have  a  day, 
When  ceaseless  storms  their  fearful  conflicts  wage, 
Which  fill  the  soul  with  trembling  and  dismay, 
When  moon  nor  stars  the  darkness  can  assuage, 
Nor  joy  the  wretched,  hopeless  heart  engage  ; 
But  nature's  night,  though  stormy,  hath  an  end, 
The  tempest's  sharpest  turmoils  cease  to  rage, 
When,  o'er  the  sleepy  hills,  the  sun  shall  send 
His  kindly  rays,  and  all  the  darkened  world  befriend. 

VII. 

A  night  there  is,  of  sorrow,  when  the  soul 
Bows  low  in  grief,  and  shakes  with  pallid  fear, 
When  waves  on  waves  of  anguish  o'er  her  roll, 
And  earthward  turned,  she  finds  no  helper  near ; 
But  when  to  heaven  she  looks,  with  listening  ear, 
Comes  from  the  bending  sky,  a  message  sweet — 
"  But  for  a  night,  shall  sorrow  drop  the  tear 
On  ruined  hope,  for,  when  day's  heralds  greet 
Thine  eyes,  then  shall  return  bright  joy  on  bounding 
feet." 

VIII. 

Night  of  the  grave  !  thy  symbol  nature's  night, 
How  dark  and  dismal  is  thy  rayless  gloom ! 


128  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

When  sets  life's  sun,  or  quenched  its  joyous  light 
Amid  the  darksome  mists  that  shroud  the  tomb, 
In  which  all  men  may  read  their  final  doom. 
Yet  for  the  Christian  this  dread  night  shall  end, 
For  on  his  grave  sweet  flowers  immortal  bloom, 
Assuring  that  the  trump  of  God  shall  rend 
Its  bars,  and  bid  the  prisoned  saint  the  skies  ascend. 

IX. 

But  likest  nature's  night,  the  night  which  shrouds 
The  world  with  sin's  long,  lasting,  fearful  gloom, 
When  heaven's  sweet  sky  is  covered   thick  with 

clouds, 

Dark  as  the  shadows  wrhich  at  midnight  come ; 
When  desert  winds  have  blasted  Eden's  bloom, 
And  night's  damp  shades  the  fruits  of  Eden  killed ; 
Darker  the  pall  thrown  o'er  Religion's  tomb, 
Than  that,  when  souls  are  with  deep  anguish  filled, 
When  warm  and  loving  hearts,  with  death's  cold  touch, 

are  chilled. 

x. 

Ah !  what  a  night  of  revel,  sin  and  shame, 
When  o'er  the  earth,  from  hell,  an  enolless  flood 
Of  fiends  came  trooping,  legion  is  their  name, 
Whose  work  is  robbery,  violence  and  blood  ; 
To  fill  with  poison  what  is  sweet  and  good, 
Kill  peace  and  joy,  and  bathe  the  world  in  tears, 
To  mix  with  bitterness  man's  earthly  food, 
And  chase  his  weary  soul  with  gloomy  fears, 
When,  last,  he  sinks  in  death  to  end  his  toilsome  years. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  I2Q 

XI. 

And  oh !  this  night  brings  tempests  in  its  train,1 
When  warring,  groaning  giants  of  the  storm, 
Their  long,  fierce,  fearful  fights,  with  hate  maintain, 
When  thunder  doth  unbare  his  mighty  arm, 
As  o'er  the  sky  his  fiery  coursers  swarm, 
And  war's  tornadoes,  sweeping  land  and  sea, 
Dash  ruin  o'er  the  world  ; — when  dread  alarm 
Of  earthquake's  voice,  makes  men  in  terror  flee 
From  shaking  cities,  to  avoid  the  dread  catastrophe. 

XII. 

And  yet  this  night  hath  calms,  when  conflicts  cease, 
At  times,  their  wrathful  din  and  fearful  roar, 
When  weary  earth  doth  hear  the  hymns  of  peace, 
As  purged,  awhile,  her  fields  from  human  gore, 
While  stars  from  the  blue  heavens  their  radiance 

pour — 

A  brightness  caught  from  him  whose  face  is  veiled 
Behind  a  world  which  now,  from  shore  to  shore, 
Is  filled  with  darkness ;  men  the  light  have  hailed, 
And  wait  a  morn,  when  his  bright  face  shall  be  unveiled. 

XIII. 

Once  a  sweet  star  rose  o'er  this  darksome  night, 
And  glowed  in  beauty  o'er  Judea's  plains, 
On  Bethlehem  it  cast  its  cheering  light, 
Where  shepherds  heard  those  high  angelic  strains, 
When  angels  came  in  trailing  glorious  trains. 
That  star,  to  Eastern  sages,  points  the  way 
6* 


130  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

To  where  the  joys  of  birth,  maternal  pains 
But  lately  have  succeeded,  where  he  lay, 
The  Lord  and  "  King  of  glory,"  veiled  in  mortal  clay. 

XIV. 

That  star  hath  sweetly  blent  its  guiding  light 
With  the  bright,  blissful  beacon,  flaming  forth 
Through  nature's  midnight  gloom,  from  Calvary's 

height, 
Where  stands  the  cross,  and  east,  west,  south  and 

north, 
Flings   its  bright,  gladdening   beams   o'er  all  the 

earth  ; 

The  wandering  steps  of  pilgrim  feet  to  guide 
To  rest  and  safety,  and  where  holy  mirth 
Doth  spread  her  feasts  of  joy,  in  arbor  wide, 
Where  all,  'neath   stormy  skies,  may  see  their  storms 

subside. 

XV. 

O,  glorious  cross !  upraised  amid  the  gloom, 
Where  trembling  nature  feels  the  tempest's  shock, 
And  Eden's  glory  molders  in  the  tomb, 
Which  sin  hath  dug.     Upon  the  eternal  rock 
Forever  stand,  and  though  the  tempests  mock, 
Their  Titan  blasts  can  ne'er  put  out  thy  light ; 
Nor  hell's  dark  powers  thy  waxing  triumphs  block : 
Beam  on  the  grave,  and  death  shall  take  its  flight, 
And  Eden's  bloom  revived  shall  make  earth's  deserts 
bright. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  131 

XVI. 

O  blessed  Christ,  I  see  thee  sit  beneath 
That  cross  whereon  in  anguish  thou  didst  die, 
And  out  where  tempests  scatter  wreck  and  death, 
Where  wrangling  billows  lift  their  heads  on  high, 
'Midst  roaring  rocks,  direct  thy  pitying  eye, 
To  watch  for  shipwrecked  souls  in  anguished  strife 
With  choking  waves,  to  hear  their  piteous  cry, 
And  then  command  a  peace,  where  storms  are  rife, 
To  draw  them  to  the  rock  and  give  them  joy  and  life. 

XVII. 

That  cross,  dear  Jesus,  is  my  joy  and  song : 
To  it  I'll  cling  'mid  wrecks  by  tempests  blown ; 
Light  of  the  ages,  beaming  clear  and  strong, 
It  stands,  though  wicked  men  and  devils  frown, 
It  stands,  though   thrones   and    kingdoms   topple 

down  ; 

It  stands  above  the  wrecks  of  ages  past, 
It  stands,  though  floods  of  wrath  the  world  shall 

drown ; 

Yea,  and  shall  stand,  while  earth  and  time  shall  last, 
Till  crowns  and  -kingdoms,  all,  shall  at  thy  feet  be  cast. 

XVIII. 

Amidst  the  sounds,  discordant,  of  this  night, 
Sweet  voices,  too,  are  heard,  the  gloom   to  cheer ; 
Sounds  from  the  heavens,  which    fill  with    sweet 

delight 
The  soul  that  listens ;    music  full  and  clear, 


132  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Like  what  o'er  Judah's  plains,  to  upturned  ear, 
Poured  its  deep   rapture   through   the    shepherds' 

souls, 

Proclaiming  peace  to  nations  far  and  near ; 
A  joy  that  thrills  in  hearts  which  love  controls, 
While  from  the  heavenly  hosts  the  glorious  anthem  rolls. 

XIX. 

This  night  of  earth,  too,  hath  upon  the  walls, 

And  in  the  streets,  to  give  the  warning  cry, 

Its  watchmen,  by  whose  faithful,  night-long  calls, 

Men  are  admonished  when  their  foes  are  nigh, 

And  taught  amid  the  tempest  where  to  fly. 

How  oft  we   hear,   "  O  watchman,   what    of   the 

night  ?" 

Sound  'mid  the  gloom,  and  then  the  quick  reply: 

"  The  morning  comes,  and  soon  methinks  the  light 

Will  dawn,  and  all  the  earth's  dark  shadows  take  their 


flight." 


XX. 


Sweet  are  the  words  of  invitation  given 
To  men,  to  flee  from  dread  impending  wrath, — 
Sweet  words  of  Jesus  drop,  like  dews,  from  heaven, 
Benighted  souls  to  turn  from  danger's  path, 
To  find  in  him  relief  from  sin  and  death. 
Heard  his  sweet  words :  "  Come  unto  me  and  rest, 
Ye  weary,  heavy  laden,  and  beneath 
Your  burdens  groan  no  more ;  come  and  be  blest, 
For  I  have  healing  balm  for  all  by  sins  distressed." 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  133 

XXI. 

Sweet  are  the  songs  of  joy  for  sins  forgiven, 
X  When  new-born  souls  first  sing  redeeming  love ; 
/  When  saints  bid  welcome  to  the  joys  of  heaven, 
Begun  on  earth,  for  aye  to  thrill  above. 
And  when  to  Zion's  hill  in  crowds  they  move, 
To  throng  her  courts  to  wait,  and  sing,  and  pray, 
All  God's  abundant  promises  to  prove, 
Through  Him  who  died  and  washed  their  sins  away, 
This  night  of  earth  is  vocal  with  the  sounds  of  day. 

XXII. 

And  so,  like  nature's  night,  this  night  shall  end ; 
It  hath  its  day-star  pointing  to  the  dawn ; 
Forth  through  the  orient  gates  the  Lord  shall  send 
Bright  heralds  of  the  morning  long  foreshown, 
That  shall  proclaim  him  coming  on  his  throne, 
To  pour  his  glories  from  the  bending  skies, 
While  on  the  clouds,  by  milk-white  coursers  drawn, 
His  chariot  rolls  ;  and  joyous  shouts  shall  rise 
From  the  dark  scenes  of  earth  now  changed  to  Paradise. 

XXIII. 

Of  that  dim  night,  but  just  before  the  dawn, 
The  poet  tunes  his  harp,  prepares  to  sing, 
Ere  its  deep  shades  are  from  the  earth  withdrawn  ; 
And  though  his  theme  but  little  rapture  bring, 
And  his  wild  harp  with  war's  harsh  notes  must  ring, 
He  hopes,  before  his  stormy  song  shall  cease, 


134  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

To  bear  his  reader  up,  on  faith's  strong  wing, 
Where,  coming  in  his  power,  earth  to  release, 
He  may  behold,  from  mountain  heights,  the  PRINCE  OF 
PEACE. 

XXIV. 

The  scene  begins  upon  the  heavenly  hills,* 
Where  round  the  throne,  in  snow-white  garments 

dressed, 

Those  angels,  by  whom  vengeance  now  fulfills 
The  wrath  of  God,  stand  waiting  his  behest, 
Upon  the  quailing  earth  prepared  to  cast 
The  contents  of  those  vials  in  their  hands, — 
The  seven  plagues,  most  dreadful,  and  the  last, 
W7hich  scatter  burning  fires  o'er  many  lands, 
Rebellion  to  consume  where'er  it  Heaven  withstands. 

xxv. 

There  is  in  heaven  a  sea  of  beauty  rare, 
Of  pure  transparent  glass  and  mingled  fire, 
Of  holiness,  the  symbol  bright  and  fair, 
And  justice,  too,  which  reddens  with  hot  ire. 
Ye  who  despise  the  oft  proclaimed  desire 
Of  pardoning  love  as  tenderly  it  speaks 

*  And  I  saw  another  sign  in  heaven,  great  and  marvellous,  seven  angels  having 
the  seven  last  plagues  ;  for  in  them  is  filled  up  the  wrath  of  God.  And  I  saw  as  it 
were  a  sea  of  glass  mingled  with  fire  :  and  them  that  had  gotten  the  victory  over  the 
beast,  and  over  his  image,  and  over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his  name, 
stand  on  the  sea  of  glass,  having  the  harps  of  God.  And  they  sing  the  song  of 
Moses  the  servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb,  saying,  Great  and  marvellous 
are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty  ;  just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  king  of  saints. 
Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ?  for  thou  only  art  holy  :  for 
all  nations  shall  come  and  worship  before  thee  ;  for  thy  judgments  are  made  mani 
fest. — REV.  xv.  1-4 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  135 

Of  God  when  clad  in  mercy's  sweet  attire, 
See !  pardon  scorned,  his  glittering  sword  he  shakes, 
And  on  the  startled  ear  his  wrathful  thunder  breaks. 


XXVI. 

On  the  green  banks  of  that  wide-spreading  sea 
The  saints  are  standing,  clad  in  robes  of  white  ; 
They  wave  their  palms  of  blood-bought  victory, 
And  trill  their  golden  harps  with  sweet  delight 
To  a  new  anthem,  sung  with  all  their  might, — 
The  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb  once  slain, — 
Whilst  God  and  angels  listen  from  the  height. 
Moses,  who  did  the  law  of  God  ordain, 
Commissioned  by  high  heaven,  bears  not  the  sword  in 
vain. 

XXVII. 

But  he  holds  back  the  swift  descending  blow, 
While  Jesus  pleads,  who  for  each  sinner  bled, 
And  cries,  while  he  his  wounded  hands  doth  show, 
Stay,  stay  destruction  from  the  guilty  head. 
Nor  is  the  sinner's  cause  thus  vainly  plead, 
For  as  the  storm  sleeps  on  yon  glassy  sea, 
Where  waves  are  hushed  to  rest  and  winds  have  fled, 
So  sleeps  the  sword,  dear  child  of  God,  for  thee 
Dispersed  the  clouds  of  wrath  and  dread  calamity. 

XXVIII. 

As  saints,  with  joy,  in  that  unnumbered  throng, 
Stand  on  that  sea,  and  wave  their  victor  palms, 


136  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

As  to  Eternal  Mercy,  loud  and  long, 

They   shake    the    hills   with    their   high-sounding 

psalms, 

So  they  rejoice  when  Justice  overwhelms 
The  unrepenting  enemies  of  God, 
Who  by  disloyal  deeds  have  marred  his  realms, 
Because  rebellion  sinks  beneath  her  nod, 
Blasted  and  crushed  for  aye  by  the  Almighty's  rod. 

XXIX. 

Justice  they  love,  she  makes  them  safely  dwell, 
Because  upheld  by  an  unchanging  power, — 
And  Mercy,  too,  she  saved  their  souls  from  hell, 
When  o'er  their  pathway  vengeance  stern  did  lower; 
Moses  and  Christ,  in  that  triumphant  hour, 
Stand  side  by  side,  uniting  heaven's  poles  ; 
No  wonder  music  waits,  'tis  heaven's  dower. 
List  to  their  song  as  up  to  God  it  rolls, 
Triumphant  paeon  sung  by  thousand  thousand  souls. 

XXX. 

Of  God's  great  marvels  in  his  works  and  ways, 
Of  truth  and  stainless  righteousness  displayed, 
Of  love  and  mercy,  highest  psalms  of  praise 
They  sang.     Who  on  his  terrors  undismayed 
Can  look  ?     Or  gaze,  and  never  be  afraid 
Of  his  dread  sword  ?     Nor  glorify  his  name  ? 
Yea,  to  his  name  be  ceaseless  homage  paid. 
All  lands  shall  come  and  his  great  power  proclaim, 
Who  now  displays  his  wrath  to  men  in  flood  and  flame. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  137 

XXXI. 

Now  die  away,  amid  the  heavenly  hills, 
The  echos  of  that  wide-resounding  song ; 
While  glory  heaven's  high  sanctuary  fills, 
Which  bursts  from  open  portals,*  clear  and  strong ; 
And,  where  those  splendors  roll  their  floods  along, 
Those  angels  clad  in  white,  begirt  with  gold, 
Walk  forth  before  that  vast  angelic  throng : 
Let  sinful  mortals  quake  as  they  behold, 
For  they  the  secrets  of  Jehovah's  wrath  unfold. 

XXXII. 

Behold !  before  that  throne  of  power  they  stand, 
And,  from  the  living  creature's  hand  they  take 
The  seven  last  plagues  of  God.      His  high  com 
mand 

They  wait,  to  bid  their  scorching  wrath  to  break 
Upon  the  trembling  world.     Now  terrors  shake 
The  earth  and  sky,  and  glory  crowns  the  height ; 
While  men,  at  the  dread  vision,  fear  and  quake : 
No  man  can,  living,  stand  before  his  sight, 
Until  those  plagues  have  wrought  on  earth  their  death 
and  blight. 

*  And  after  that  I  looked,  and  behold,  the  temple  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  testi 
mony  in  heaven  was  opened  :  And  the  seven  angels  came  out  of  the  temple,  having 
the  seven  plagues,  clothed  in  pure  and  white  linen,  and  having  their  breasts  girded 
with  golden  girdles.  And  one  of  the  four  beasts  gave  unto  the  seven  angels  seven 
golden  vials  full  of  the  wrath  of  God,  who  liveth  for  ever  and  ever.  And  the  temple 
was  filled  with  smoke  from  the  glory  of  God,  and  from  his  power ;  and  no  man  was 
able  to  enter  into  the  temple,  till  the  seven  plagues  of  the  seven  angels  were  fulfilled. — 
REV.  xv.  5-8. 


138  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XXXIII. 
THE    WARNING. 

Listen,  O  earth,  to  the  voice  of  dread  warning, 
For  Justice  aroused  in  her  armor  is  clad, 

And  Mercy  retires,  who  the  sword  hath  been  turning 
Away  from  its  fall  on  the  sinner's  proud  head. 

Thy  valleys  and  plains,  and  thy  hills  and  thy  mountains, 
Shall  shake  with  the  footsteps  of  God  in  his  wrath  ; 

Thy  seas  and  thy  rivers,  and  cool,  bubbling  fountains, 
Shall  blush  with  the  blood  of  thy  sons  laid  in  death. 

The  portents  of  heaven  shall  fill  thee  with  trembling, 
The  sun's  flaming  rays  shall  proclaim  his  dread  ire; 

While,  in  every  land,  his  avengers  assembling, 

Shall  shake  thee  with  earthquakes,  and  scorch  thee 
with  fire. 

Repent,  O  repent,  ere  the  day  dawns  in  fury, 
Before  the  dread  vials  upon  thee  are  poured ; 

Take  warning !  take  warning !  kind  angels  adjure  thee, 
While  Mercy's  white  hand  yet  may  succor  afford. 

XXXIV. 

A  solemn  voice*  comes  from  yon  temple  gate, 
And,  rolling  down,  it  shakes  the  sea  and  land. 
Hark !  hark  !  it  speaks,  in  clamor  loud  and  great, 
And  utters  forth  Jehovah's  dread  command, 
As  there  enthrdned  he  shakes  his  red  right  hand  : 
"  Go,  go  your  ways,  ye  messengers  of  wrath, 

*  And   I  heard  a  great  voice  out   of  the  temple,  saying  to  the  seven  angels,  Go 
your  ways,  and  pour  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  earth.— REV.  xvi.  i. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  139 

On  land  and  sea  your  blistering  footprints  brand  ; 
Pour  out  my  plagues  on  every  rebel's  path, 
Nor  stop  till  all  the  earth  shall  reek  in  gory  death." 

XXXV. 

Wide  o'er  the  astonished  world   an  angel  soars,  2 
His  pinions  shadow  men  with  cloud  and  storm  ; 
Out  from  his  vial,  on  the  land  he  pours 
Contagions  dire,  which  o'er  the  nations  swarm, 
And  fall,  in  blight,  and  sore,  and  mortal  harm, 
On  them  who  have  received  the  beast's  vile  nam^, 
And  those  who  seek  protection  from  his  arm  ; — 
His  image  worship,  doing  deeds  of  shame : — 
In  noisome,  grievous  sores  the  visitation  came. 

xxxvi. 

If  thou  my  muse  to  exposition  turn, 
To  find  this  scene  on  the  historic  page, 
I  point  thee  to  that  impious  land  where  burn  3 
The  fires  of  civil  war  with  fiendish  rage, — 
To  France,  the  warning  cry  of  every  age. 
She  was  the  pillar  of  the  despot's  throne, 
Both  civil  and  religious ;  she'd  engage 
To  make  his  odious,  heaven-cursed  cause  her  own ; 
With  bayonets  pin  to  his  brows  his  fading  crown. 

XXXVII. 

Religious  Despotism  yclept  her  king 
Her  eldest  son,  and  she  rejoiced  to  own 
The  flattering  title  ;  she  would  gladly  bring 
Her  choicest  treasures,  and,  before  the  throne, 


140  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Would  lay  them  down  supine  in  service  prone, 
To  prop  the  Holy  Father's  sinking  cause  ; — 
Though  in  his  realms  light  nor  religion  shone  ; — 
To  bind  unwilling  hands  by  crushing  laws, 
To  tear  the  brows  of  Liberty  with  eagle's  claws. 

XXXVIII. 

To  strike  from  Rome  this  nation's  strong  support,  * 
The  angel  pours  his  fearful  vial  out ; 
Its  subtle  influence  shall  not  ceas£  to  hurt 
Till  her  supporting  armies,  put  to  rout, 
Shall  cower  before  fair  Freedom's  hosts,  and  shout 
Of  disenthralled  nations  shall  arise 
To  God,  who  brings  deliverance  about ; — 
Until,  from  every  land  beneath  the  skies, 
The  Papal  power  cast  down,  in  desperation  flies. 

xxxix. 

Dark  atheism,  with  all  its  withering  blight,  * 
And  liberty,  to  starkest  license  grown, 
Veiled  that  fair  land  in  anarchy's  deep  night, 
And  myriads  in  streaming  blood  did  drown. 
If  she  no  earthly  king  nor  crown  might  own, 
Why  should  she  not,  into  the  face  of  God, 
Fling  her  defiance  ?     With  him  overthrown 
In  hearts  of  men,  no  power  above  the  nod 
Of  Freedom,  she  would  spread  her  empire  all  abroad. 

XL. 

And  so,  in  maddened  conclave  once  convened  6 
Their  sages  great,  blasphemously  resolved — 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  14! 

There  is  no  God  (for  they  on  Reason  leaned), — 
Declared  allegiance  to  Heaven  dissolved, — 
Death  an  eternal  sleep,  from  which  evolved 
Nor  life,  nor  light.      Now  nothing  should  restrain 
Their  votaries,  thus  from  all  law  exolved, 
From  doing  as  they  pleased,  such  right  was  plain, 
Though  by  unlicensed  power  whole  hecatombs  are 
slain.  7 

XLI. 

France  had  run  mad,  but,  in  her  maddened  mood,  8 
There  was  a  fearful  method  ;  she  arrayed 
Her  mighty  armies,  and,  with  deeds  of  blood, 
She  shook  surrounding  nations ;   on  them  preyed  ; 
By  thunder  of  her  arms  kings  were  dismayed  ; — 
O'er  Alpine  heights  her  conquering  armies  poured, 
Through    Piedmont's   sunny   vales    her    trumpets 

brayed, 

Among  the  Appenines  her  cannons  roared, 
Till,  o'er  the  seven  hills,  her  wrathful  tempests  lowered. 

XLII. 

Nor  did  she  stay  the  impulse  of  her  arms 
Till,  o'er  the  Pyrenees,  she  rolled  on  Spain 
Tempestuous  wrath,  full  fraught  with  war's  alarms  ; 
And  on  the  Rhine  her  myriads  she  had  slain 
And,  with  audacious  front,  on  many  a  plain, 
The  allied  kingdoms  she  had  faced  in  fight ; 
And,  at  the  end  of  many  a  dread  campaign, 
Their  gathering  legions  she  had  put  to  flight, 
Till  kings  lay  at  her  feet  in  conquered,  ruined  plight. 


142  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XLIII. 

But  every  blow  dealt  by  her  frenzied  hand 
In  ruin  fell  on  despotism's  foul  head, 
And  superstition's  chains,  in  many  a  land, 
Were  rent  asunder,  and  its  minions  fled  ; — 
The  same  when  'neath  the  guillotine  she  bled, 
As  when  the  pandoors  and  the  fierce  hussars 
Of  Austria,  she  trampled  'mong  the  dead  ; — 
The  same,  when  victor  in  her  mighty  wars, 
As  when  o'erthrown,  she  felt  the  crushing  heel  of  Mars. 

XLIV. 

Ere  this  first  wrath  is  spent  another  comes,  9 
Over  the  sea  the  second  angel  flies, 
And  pours  his  vial  on  the  waves,  then  looms 
A  tempest,  mingling  seas  and  cloudy  skies, 
Till  in  the  deep  each  living  creature  dies, 
And  ocean's  seething  billows  turn  to  blood 
Amid  the  shrieks  and  wild  despairing  cries 
Of  victims,  in  the  turmoil  of  the  flood, 
And  desolation  rules  o'er  many  a  briny  rood. 

XLV. 

See !  how  the  furies  of  the  battle  rage,10 
Where  navies  of  the  world  arrayed  in  fight, 
And  earth's  great  kingdoms  all  their  powers  engage. 
What  is  yon  flash  that  blazes  on  the  sight  ?  " 
That  thunder-peal  that  fills  stout  hearts  with  fright? 
It  is  the  dreadful  broadside's  blinding  flash, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  143 

'Neath   reeling  rack,  black  as  the  clouds  of  night, 
Whose  thunderbolts  to  swift  destruction  dash 
Great  ships,  whose  quivering  sides  are  shattered  in  the 
crash. 

XLVI. 

Hark !  'mid  that  horrid  din  a  thunder  stroke  I2 
Resounds  more  fearful  far,  as  if  high  heaven 
Were  falling,  ocean  vomits  flame  and  smoke 
Like  a  volcano,  and  the  clouds  are  riven 
Which  veil  the  scene  by  battle's  whirlwinds  driven. 
Behold  the  noble  ship  flung  to  the  clouds, 
In  broken  fragments  to  destruction  given, 
Masts,  spars  and  rigging,  stranded  shrouds, 
With  all  her  crew,  lie  scattered  on  the  gory  floods. 

XLVII. 

Thus  from  the  Nile,  and  far-famed  Trafalgar,  J3 
And,  from  a  hundred  battles  on  the  sea 
Are  heard  the  thunders  of  a  naval  war, 
Which  sets  the  glittering  stars  of  victory 
On  brows  of  fair  Religious  Liberty, 
And  breaks  the  power  of  Rome  upon  the  flood, — *•* 
The  naval  power  of  them  that  bend  knee 
To  her, — and  tinges  many  a  rood  with  blood, 
Wherever  on  the  sea  her  ships  have  proudly  rode. 

XLVIII. 

But  ere  that  storm  has  swept  from  ocean's  main  Js 
The  navies  that  uphold  the  seven  hills, 
Which  sail  in  clouds  from  ports  of  France  and  Spain, 
The  sound  of  other  woes  the  welkin  fills, — 


144  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

With  fear  the  trembling  hearts  of  nations  thrills, — 
Calamity  crowds  on  calamity. 
God,  in  his  anger,  heaps  the  earth  with  ills, 
Hurls  his  dread  thunder  on  the  land  and  sea, 
Till  from  despotic  power  the  nations  shall  be  free. 

XLIX. 

ADDRESS  TO  THE  RIVERS  AND  FOUNTAINS. 

O  now,  ye  bubbling  fountains, 

Ye  rivers,  broad  and  free, 
Now  singing  down  the  mountains, 

Now  surging  to  the  sea ; 
Where'er  your  waters  glisten, 

On  mount  or  lonely  vale, 
Unto  your  sentence  listen, 

And  your  sad  fate  bewail. 

Ye  brooklets,  speak  your  sorrow 

To  the  lilies  of  the  field  ; 
Ye  floods,  the  accents  borrow, 

In  notes  o'er  mountain  pealed  ; 
Ye  cataracts,  sound  your  thunder 

Adown  the  dizzy  steep, 
And  tell  the  tale  of  wonder, 

As  on  your  waters  sweep. 


Behold !    now   swoops  from   Alpine   heights   sub 
lime,  l6 
On  fair  Italia's  floods  and  fountains  rare, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  145 

The  angel  who  avenges  every  crime 
Committed  by  the  scarlet  women  there. 
Thy  mountains,  Piedmont,  and  thy  valleys  fair, 
Which  blushed  with  martyr  blood,  in  days  of  yore, 
Shall  see  her  minions  smitten  with  despair ; 
Shall  see  thy  rivers  crimsoned  with  their  gore, 
Where   God  doth  now  on  them   his  burning  plagues 
outpour. 


LI. 

Hark !  a  dread  voice  sounds  o'er  those  streams  of 

blood, 

Thrilling  with  terror  hearts  not  cold  in  death. 
The  angel  who  presides  o'er  stream  and  flood 
Now  speaks ;  the  saints  attend,  and,  with  hushed 

breath, 

Hear  those  dread  accents  of  avenging  wrath 
Pealing  o'er  mountains,  piercing  valleys  far, 
And  casting  trembling  in  the  despot's  path, 
O'er  that  doomed  land,  to  feel  the  shock  of  war, 
In  fearful  thunders,  when  Jehovah  mounts  his  car. 

LII. 
THE  ANGEL  OF   THE    WATERS. 

Righteous  art  thou,  O  Lord,  Most  High, 
Which  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  be ; 

For  Thou  didst  hear  thy  people's  cry, 
And  all  their  cruel  wrongs  didst  see 


146  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

These  wicked  shed  the  blood,  for  naught, 
Of  prophets,  saints,  and  martyrs,  too ; 

And  now  the  gory  draught  is  brought 
For  them  to  drink — it  is  their  due. 

Lilt 

Now  hushed,  o'er  every  river,  hill,  and  plain, 
That  dreadful  sound  which  fills  the  earth  with  fear. 
Hark !  hark !  a  sound  the  stillness  breaks  again 
In  wilder  accents,  echoing  far  and  near, — 
From  heaven  it  comes,  and   men   the   voice   may 

hear ; — 

It  comes  from  'neath  that  altar,  where  those  souls 
Which  have  been  slain  for  Jesus  now  appear, 
And  cry  for  vengeance ;  each  his  blood  condoles, 
As  from  the  awful  height  the  clamorous  utterance  rolls. 

LIV. 
RESPONSE  OF  THE  ANGEL  OF  WATERS. 

Even  so,  God  Almighty,  let  vengeance  full  sore 
Be  poured  down  the  necks  of  these  men  stained  in  gore ; 
Of  thy  murdered  saints,  who  for  Jesus  were  slain, 
With  rack  and  with  torture,  in  sorrow  and  pain. 
Full  long  their  strong  cries  for  redress  have  been  made, 
Full  long  have  the  footsteps  of  vengeance  delayed  ; 
It  is  just  thou  shouldst  press  to  their  blistering  lips 
The  festering  cup,  from  which  gory  death  drips. 
With  the  fearful  infection  let  thousands  be  slain, 
Till,  in  heaps,  their  dead  bodies  shall  cover  the  plain ; 
And  the  death-scenting  vultures  shall  darken  the  air, 
As  they  swarm  to  their  blood-reeking  feasts  from  afar. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  147 

LV. 

The  time  has  come  for  that  prophetic  voice, 
Uttered  on  Patmos'  Isle,  to  be  fulfilled  ; 
Among  the  mountains  hear  portentous  noise 
Of  busy  preparation  ;  hearts  are  thrilled, 
And  cowered  blood,  with  curdling  fear,  is  chilled. 
But,  while  the  Gallic  eagles  rear  their  brood 
Among  the  crags,  the  sounds  of  war  are  stilled. 
At  length,  on  war's  black  cloud,  to  fields  of  blood, 
With  screech  and  whirlwind's  swoop,  they  rush  a  mighty 
flood. 

LVI. 

Fair  Italy,  the  avalanche  descends 
From  Alpine  heights,  a  deluge  red,  on  thee ; 
The  power  that  rules  thee  'fore  the  tempest  bends, 
And,  in  -the  shock,  its  cowering  minions  flee ; 
Sardinia,  conquered,  bends  the  suppliant  knee ; 
And,  after  Lodi  thunders  far  and  wide, 
Tinging  the  Adda's  tide,  fair  Lombardy 
Becomes  the  conqueror's  prey ;  yet  still,  in  pride, 
He  presses  on  to  conquest  with  a  giant's  stride. 

LVII. 

Nor  stay  his  footsteps  in  his  march  of  wrath ; 
The  fiery  tempest  o'er  Arcole  breaks, 
And  on  he  strides  upon  his  bloody  path, 
Till  Italy  lies  low,  and  Rome  bespeaks 
Her  fulminating  power  in  vain  ;  she  shrieks    . 
With  rage  and  horror,  as  in  clamor  loud 


148  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

The  cannon  of  Napoleon  rudely  shakes 
The  seven  hills,  and  round  her  ramparts  crowd 
His  conquering  legions,  soon  her  glory  to  becloud. 

LVIII. 

Peace  comes.    But  soon  the  Austrian  calls  to  arms, 
To  crush  the  proud  Republic's  spreading  power ; 
At  Rivoli  he  meets  the  Gallic  swarms, 
And  low  in  dust  his  numerous  legions  cower ; 
Then  over  Rome  again  war's  tempests  lower. 
The  Senio  blushes  with  the  flowing  blood  ; 
Faenza,  too,  falls  in  her  fatal  hour ; 
And  then  Ancona  sinks  beneath  the  flood, — 
She  who  the  peer  of  Venice  long  hath  proudly  stood. 

LIX. 

And  thou  Loretto,  canst  thou  tell  me  why, 
With  Casa  Santa  in  thy  sacred  gates, 
Thou  couldst  not  the  great  conqueror  defy, 
But  wast,  in  the  dread  conflict,  put  to  straits? 
They  say  a  band  of  angels  round  thee  waits, 
Who  brought  the  house  of  Mary,  through  the  air, 
From  Palestine — for  so  the  myth  relates — 
And  placed  within  thy  walls  the  treasure,  where 
It  might  be  safely  kept,  beneath  thy  patron's  care. 

LX. 

Why  did  thy  patron  thus  thy  walls  forsake 
When,  with  the  siege  which  boded  thy  quick  fall, 
Thy  towers  and  ramparts  did  so  rudely  shake  ? 
Say,  was  she  deaf,  that  thou  shouldst  vainly  call  ? 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  149 

And  when  thy  foes  poured  o'er  thy  prostrate  wall, 
Why  was  that  house  to  Paris  borne  away, 
The  prey  of  the  great  robber,  in  whose  thrall 
Were  held  art's  treasures,  for  a  time  ?     We  pray, 
Let  truthful  Priests  the  story  tell  us,  if  they  may. 

LXI. 

Oh,  Italy !  though  now  thy  streams  are  red, — 
Though    God   hath   given  thy  children    blood    to 

drink, — 

Though  in  the  conflict  thou  hast  fought  and  bled, 
And  made  thy  sunny  vales  with  slain  to  stink, — 
Still  myriads  more  must  in  thy  conflicts  sink, 
On  dread  Marengo's  trampled  field  of  blood, 
Where  thousands,  driven  o'er  the  awful  brink 
Of  battle,  died  ;  Magenta,  too,  where  stood, 
In  after  years,  another  would-be  scourge  of  God  : — 

LXII. 

And  Solferino,  crimson  fount  and  stream, 
With  awful  carnage,  while  their  heavy  shocks 
Fall  on  the  Papal  power,  and  break  its  dream 
Of  long  endurance  ;  fate  its  thunder  mocks, 
And  with  the  earthquake  Rome's  foundation  rocks. 
O  Great  Avenger,  just  and  true  thou  art, 
And  naught  the  wheels  of  thy  dread  chariot  blocks. 
Thy  martyred  saints  are  ever  near  thy  heart, 
And  earth  and  hell  can  never  thy  just  vengeance  thwart. 


150  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

LXIII. 
APOSTROPHE    TO    THE   SUN. 

Thou  orb  of  day,  serenely  throned 

Upon  thy  chariot  high, 
Whose  flying  coursers,  glory  crowned, 

Sweep  grandly  through  the  sky : 
We  look  upon  thy  friendly  rays 

Dispersing  gloomy  night, 
And  for  thy  benison  we  praise 

The  God  who  made  the  light. 

Round  thee,  in  widening  circles  grand, 

The  ponderous  planets  roll ; 
And,  as  if  held  in  giant's  hand, 

They  own  thy  strong  control. 
No  matter  whether  near  or  far, 

Each  thy  attraction  feels : — 
The  comet,  on  its  bickering  car, 

Round  its  aphelion  wheels, 

Bends  its  obedient  neck  to  thee, 

And  hastens  to  return 
From  space's  unfathomable  sea 

To  where  thy  splendors  burn. 
Far,  far,  thy  arrowy  beams  of  light 

Fly  through  the  realms  of  space, — 
No  comet,  in  most  distant  flight, 

Has  ever  found  a  place, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Where  is  not  seen  thy  radiance  bright, 

Sent  forth  by  hand  divine, 
To  banish  chaos  and  old  night, 

Wherever  thou  dost  shine. 
Thy  ministries  are  numberless, 

Above,  below,  around, — 
Whatever  realms  thy  beams  may  bless, 

There  life  and  joy  abound. 

By  thee  the  stormy  billows  rise, 

That  beat  on  every  shore, 
To  thee  the  evening  zephyr  sighs, 

And  wild  tornadoes  roar. 
The  misty  waters  fill  the  clouds 

Raised  by  thy  wondrous  power, 
And  at  thy  beck  come  on,  in  crowds, 

The  legions  of  the  shower. 

The  melody  of  singing  rill, 

The  torrent's  sturdy  roar, 
As  tumbling  down  the  steepy  hill, 

Sing  to  thee  evermore. 
And  when  the  tempest  rolls  away, 

Revealing  the  blue  sky, 
The  rainbow,  painted  by  thy  ray, 

Rears  its  bright  arch  on  high 

Thy  rays  omnific  bring  to  life 
The  plants  and  trees  of  earth, — 

But  for  thee  naught,  in  nature's  strife, 
Had  ever  come  to  birth. 


152  BEFORE    THE.    DAWN. 

LXIV. 
LAMENTATION. 

'Tis  sad  !  O  'tis  sad  !  that  the  sunlight  so  cheerful 

Should  be  made  the  dread  agent  of  death  and  despair, 
That   from  his    bright  orb    should    throng   messengers 
fearful, 

To  smite  suffering  men  with  their  scourges  of  fire. 
Yet  over  the  sun  the  dread  angel  arises,1? 

And  spreads  forth  his  pinions  to  shadow  the  world, 
And  while  the  eclipse  trembling  mortals  surprises, 

Into  his  flaming  disc  the  dread  vial  is  hurled. 

A  great  conflagration  springs  up  in  commotion, 

Enwrapping  the  heavens  in  its  wide,  fearful  glare, 
And  as  waters  would  flow  were  the  bounds  swept  from 
ocean, 

There  pours  upon  earth  flaming  cataracts  of  fire. 
The  green  herb  is  withered,  the  blasted  tree  raises 

Its  bare,  leafless  boughs,  in  the  hot  blistering  breeze. 
The  earth,  made  a  desert,  its  dwellers  amazes, 

While  torment  and  terror  their  trembling  hearts  seize. 

O  where  is  their  covert  in  this  hour  of  trial  ? 

What  glen  or  what  cavern  can  shelter  afford  ? 
O  how  shall  they  flee  from  the  flames  of  the  vial  ? 

Say,  how  can  they  brave  the  fierce  wrath  of  the  Lord  ? 
Will  they  fly  to  the  ocean  and  hide  in  its  billows  ? 

Ah,  no !  for  its  waters  are  crimsoned  with  blood. 
Will  they  seek  the  cool  streams  'neath  the  shadowing 
willows  ? 

No,  no !  for  contagion  fills  fountain  and  flood. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  153 

Or  will  they  repent,  to  the  Lord  humbly  turning, 

Confess  his  just  judgments  and  own  his  great  power? 
Or  will  they  still  brave  his  dread  wrath  in  that  burning, 

And  never  beneath  his  hot  thunderbolts  cower  ? 
O  hark  !  'midst  that  awful  confusion  and  anguish, 

What  sounds  of  dread  import  now  break  on  the  ear ! 
Although  in  their  torment  and  terror  they  languish, 

Their  blasphemous  curses  resound  through  the  air. 

They  will  not  repent,  though  they  feel  the  fierce  burning, 

And  glorify  God,  their  Creator  and  Lord, 
But   they  blaspheme   his  name,   from    obedience    still 
turning  ; — 

O  they  must  sink  down,  of  high  heaven  abhorred. 
O  think  not,  vain  man,  that  the  Lord's  arm  is  shortened., 

That  these  dreadful  plagues  have  exhausted  his  power, 
That  his  vials  are  spent,  and  his  counsels  are  straight 
ened, 

To  discover  new  methods  his  wrath  to  outpour. 

Take  warning,  take  warning,  four  vials  outpouring, 

By  the  hands  of  avengers  of  his  broken  law ; 
O  do  not,  by  longer  his  judgments  ignoring, 

His  uttermost  wrath  on  your  helpless  heads  draw. 
Is  it  not  enough  that  your  bodies  are  writhing 

With  sores, — that  the  ocean  is  changed  into  gore, — 
That  the  rivers  and  fountains  with  slaughter  is  seething? 

Must  the  sun's  scorching  fires  on  your  bare  bodies 
pour? 

7* 


154  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

LXV. 

Behold  a  universal  flame  of  war l8 
Breaks  on  the  plains  of  Europe,  trampled  o'er, 
As  if  the  sun  infected,  from  his  car 
Should  scatter  fires  on  every  trembling  shore. 
At  Austerlitz,  'midst  awful  din  and  roar, 
The  flame  breaks  forth,  and  in  its  fearful  glare  ^ 
Myriads  lie  scorched  and  reeking  in  their  gore, 
While  far  abroad,  upon  the  startled  air, 
Howl  war's  hot  furies,  wakened  from  their  sulphurous 
lair. 

LXVI. 

Jena  and  Auerstadt  blaze  next  on  the  sight, 
Twin  furies  of  the  same  tremendous  day 
In  which  the  sun  of  Prussia  sinks  in  night, — 
The  nation  crushed  in  the  red  battle's  fray. 
But  from  the  German  heart  ne'er  pass  away 
The  blistering  memories  of  that  fearful  time, — 
Now  France,  the  day  of  vengeance  spreads  dismay 
O'er  thee,  and  thou  dost  expiate  thy  crime, 
As  German  foes  besoil  thy  robes  with  blood  and  grime. 

LXVII. 

O  !  dreadful  Eylan,  'midst  thy  din  and  noise, 20 
What  horrid  visions  do  thy  flames  reveal ! 
Where,  in  the  battle's  almost  equal  poise, 
Two  giants  struggle  with  their  frenzied  zeal , 
But  Friedland  comes  and  sets  the  bloody  seal 
Of  victory  on  Bonaparte's  proud  head, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  155 

Though  four  score  thousands  in  these  conflicts  reel 
And  fall,  the  wounded,  dying,  and  the  dead, 
While  far  the  trampled  fields  and  flowing  streams  are  red. 

LXVIII. 

And  Spain  must  feel  the  great  invader's  feet, 2I 
As  o'er  the  Pyrenees  his  legions  pour ; 
She  in  her  sunny  vales  the  Gaul  must  meet, 
And  feel  his  heel  press  on  her  bosom  sore, 
And  drink  her  cup  of  wrath  long  kept  in  store. 
See,  as  his  legions  swarm  from  yonder  height 
Around  old  Saragossa,  famed  of  yore, 22 
He  summons  to  surrender  or  to  fight, — 
Hear  her  reply,  hurled  back  with  grim  indignant  might. 

LXIX. 

WAR  EVEN  TO  THE  KNIFE. 
THE  SPANIARD'S  DEFIANCE. 

Hispania,  Hispania,  prepare  for  the  fight, 
For  down  roll  the  war-clouds  with  darkness  of  night ; 
Thy  children  are  bleeding  on  fields  of  red  strife, 
Yet  send  back  defiance,  "  War  e'en  to  the  knife." 

Lo !  down  from  the  mountains  the  eagles  of  Gaul 
Are  swooping,  your  children  as  serfs  to  enthrall ; 
Dishonor  to  sister,  to  daughter,  to  wife, 
They  bring  ;  then,  brave  boys,  give  them  "  War  to  the 
knife." 


156  BEFORE      THE     DAWN. 

Their  bugles  are  sounding,  prepare  for  the  storm, 
Round  their  death-shotted  guns  their  artillery-men  form, 
The  loud  tocsin  ring,  beat  the  drum,  blow  the  fife, 
Let  your  war-cry  forever  be,  "  War  to  tlie  knife" 

Though  their  pinions  for  springing  be  poised  on  the  air, 
And  from  their  hot  eye-balls  the  red  lightnings  glare ; 
Though  the  rush  of  their  legions  with  slaughter  be  rife, 
We  will  breast  the  tornado  with  "  WAR  TO  THE  KNIFE." 

Proud  birds  from  the  mountains,  your  plumes  shall  be 

soiled, 
With  the  bolts  of  the  Spaniards  your  flight  shall  be 

spoiled, 

Your  pinions  be  smeared  with  the  streams  of  red  life, 
And  Spain  shall  be  freed  with  her  "  War  to  the  knife." 

LXX. 

But,  Saragossa,  valor  bleeds  in  vain, 
To  crush  thee  down  thy  Gallic  foes  aspire ; 
Fate  to  the  invader  gives  thy  sunny  Spain, 
And  clothes  her  valleys  with  a  robe  of  fire. 
Long  years  shall  pass  before  thy  foes  retire, 
For  Reynosa,  Burgos,  Tudela, 
Must  see  the  Gallic  banners  rising  higher ; 
Corunna,  too,  must  have  its  bloody  day, 
Where  gallant  Moore  falls  wounded,  dying  in  the  fray. 

LXX  I. 

Till  Talevera  sees  the  flying  Gaul, 
And  Albnera  glances  back  the  flash 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  157 

Of  cannon,  and  Badajos  hears  the  call 
Of  England's  bugles,  and  in  battle's  crash 
Sees,  o'er  its  prostrate  walls,  her  squadrons  dash, 
Till  Salamanca  shakes  his  waning  power, — 
Yea !  till  Vittoria,  with  war's  gory  lash, 
Drives  the  invader  from  her  trampled  shore, 
And  shouts  her  VIVA  EL  REY  in  that  triumphant  hour. 

LXXII. 

VIVA  EL  REY. 
THE  SPANIARD'S  SONG  OF  TRIUMPH. 

Lo  !  thy  deliverer  comes, 
Peal  thy  loud  Te  Deums, 

HlSPANIA. 

Long,  over  hill  and  vale, 
Did  the  proud  Gaul  prevail ; 
Now  to  thy  king  all  hail ! 

"  VIVA  EL  REY." 

Thy  field,  Vittoria, 
Covered  with  gloria, 

In  the  red  fray, 
Where  thine  oppressors  die, 
Whence  bloody  tyrants  fly, 
Rolls  the  loud  anthem  high,— 

"  VIVA  EL  REY." 

Dire  was  the  din  and  rack, 
Red  was  the  siege  and  sack, 
Of  Gaul's  dread  sway. 


158  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Now  flies  war's  tempest  cloud, 
Falls  the  oppressor  proud  ; 
Shout  forth  the  welcome  loud, 
"VivA  EL  KEY." 

Long  live  King  Ferdinand  ! 
Long  may  our  rescued  land 

Thy  rule  obey. 
Hail  to  great  WELLINGTON  ! 
England's  victorious  son  ; 
But  thee,  our  King,  we  crown, — 

"VivA  EL  KEY." 

LXXIII. 

Doomed  Austria,  prepare  thy  hosts  again,  23 
For  lo  !  the  giant  and  his  legions  come  ; 
The  Gallic  bugles  sound  the  martial  strain, 
Thy  mountains  echo  to  his  thunder-drum  ; — 
Arouse,  ye  brave  !  defend  each  hearth  and  home 
Now  Eckmuhl  sees  thy  shattered  ranks  go  down  2* 
Beneath  the  tempest's  shock;  but,  midst  thy  gloom, 
Aspern  and  Essling's  battle  sets  the  crown  2s 
Of  victory  on  thy  head — the  giant  overthrown. 

LXXIV. 

But  O,  alas !  on  Wagram's  fatal  field, 26 

His  host's  recuperated,  dash  on  thee ; 

Thy  sons,  though  brave,  borne  down  by  numbers, 

yield 
Before  the  charge  tremendous  ;  see,  they  flee  ! 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  159 

But  in  their  track  what  myriads,  ah  !  me  ! 
Fall  bleeding,  dying,  dead,  upon  the  plain, 
And  thy  fair,  weeping  daughters  there  must  see 
Their  lovers,  brothers,  husbands,  fathers  slain, 
While  the  great  conqueror's   feet    thy   sacred   shrines 
profane. 

LXXV. 

Bear  of  the  North,  thy  hibernating  lair2? 
Bestir ;  for  in  the  South  a  gathering  cloud 
Of  Gallic  eagles,  darkening  earth  and  air, 
Glooms   o'er   thy  forests ;    hear  their   screechings 

loud! 

They  come  upon  the  whirlwind  ;  see  them  crowd 
Thy  great  highways,  thy  cubs  from  thee  to  tear. 
Russians,  arouse  !  and  meet  the  invaders  proud  ; 
Upon  your  sacred  shrines  and  hearthstones  swear, 
Rather  than  they  should  rule,  destruction  shall  reign 

there. 

LXXVI. 

Ah !  how  shall  I  describe  that  march  of  death  ? 
Now  crossing  marshy  fens,  now  barren  moors, 
Now  half  a  million  men  war's  clouds  enwreath, 
Where  thunder  breaks  on  grim  Smolensko's  towers, 
And  then  in  wrath  o'er  Borodino  lowers, 
Till  burning  Moscow  sends  its  blaze  afar, 
In  whose  dread  light  e'en  great  Napoleon  cowers, 
With  cold  and  famine,  makes  unequal  war, 
As  flies  his  scattered  troops  and  sinks  his  glory's  star. 


l6o  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

LXXVII. 

But  not  yet  sated  with  the  nations'  blood, 28 
Though  hecatombs  have  fall'n  beneath  her  ire, 
Gaul  quickly  rears  another  vulture  brood 
To  bathe  the  world  again  in  blood  and  fire. 
On  Lutzen,  Bautzen,  Dresden,  ruin  dire 
Soon  falls.     But  Leipsic  marshals  Europe's  power, 
To  crush,  the  giant  burns  a  strong  desire  ; 
And  in  the  wrack  of  that  tremendous  hour, 
His  shattered  armies  fly,  and  Freedom  claims  her  dower. 

LXXVII  I. 

To  exile  gone,  another  takes  his  throne, 
And  Elba  owns  alone  the  conqueror's  sway ;  *9 
"  How  has  the  mighty  fallen !"  dimmed  his  crown  ! 
How  sets  the  sun  of  his  triumphal  day ! 
His  empire  o'er  the  nations  passed  away. 
But  yet  not  long,  as  Elba's  island  king,  3° 
The  terror  of  the  nations  deigns  to  stay ; 
Again  on  Gallia's  shores  his  footsteps  ring, 
The  eagles  of  his  hosts  again  have  spread  the  wing. 

LXXIX. 

How,  at  his  magic  call,  the  hosts  of  France  31 
Swarm  forth,  obedient  to  his  high  command  ! 
His  clarion  sounds,  those  hosts,  in  swift  advance, 
Haste  from  the  furthest  corners  of  the  land 
To  place  the  empire  once  more  in  his  hand. 
The  reigning  king,  without  one  manly  blow, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  l6l 

Flies  from  his  throne,  his  armies  quick  disband, 
Or,  rallying,  on  the  breeze  their  banners  throw, 
And  cries  of  "  Vive  Napoleon  "  forebode  the  nation's 
woe. 

LXXX. 

To  crush  his  power  the  allied  kings  again 
Send  forth  their  armies  in  their  veteran  might, 
And  war  resounds  again  o'er  land  and  main, 
Its  glittering  pageantries  bedaze  the  sight, 
Till,  Waterloo,  thy  thundering  furies  frights2 
The  world,  and  pour  on  France  the  burning  hail, 
Till  allied  armies,  clamoring  in  the  fight, 
At  length  o'er  the  great  conqueror  prevail, 
And  chase  his  shattered  legions  on  their  bloody  trail. 

LXXXI. 

That  sun  is  set  which,  with  its  burning  rays,  33 
The  nations  scorched,  quenched  in  red  seas  of  blood. 
On  that  lone  isle,  where  ocean  flings  its  sprays 
On  rocky  shores,  o'er  his  great  fall  to  brood, 
The  conqueror  stays,  and  there  he  dies.     The  flood 
In  heaving  billows  sings  his  funeral  dirge 
While  thundering  on  the  rocks  in  angry  mood, 
Instead  of  booming  cannon,  'midst  the  surge 
Of  waving  plumes,  where  marshaled  armies  wield  the 
scourge. 

LXXX  1 1. 

Of  gory  war.     Great  man  is  this  thine  end  ? 
Thou,  whose  ambitious  genius  thought  to  weave 


1 62  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

A  crown  from  many  crowns,  and  to  extend 
Thine  empire  o'er  the  world,  and  didst  believe 
Thyself  the  man  of  destiny,  to  give 
The  law  to  nations  ?     Thou,  whose  soul 
Burned  like  a  blazing  comet  to  achieve 
Unthought-of  battles ;  thus  o'er  earth  to  roll 
A  flood  of  tears  and  blood.    Great  man,  is  this  thy  goal  ? 

LXXXIII. 

Art  thou  the  man  who,  like  the  Thunder  King, 
Glared  on  the  startled  nations  through  the  smoke 
Of  battle  ?     On  kingly  crests,  with  deathly  ring, 
Rained  thy  hot  bolts,  and,  with  thy  thunder-stroke, 
Didst  lay  them  low,  their  ancient  sceptres  broke  ? 
Thy  once  bejeweled  head  now  lies  as  low, 
Thy  grave  as  humble  as  was  e'er  bespoke 
For  meanest  soldier,  who,  in  overthrow, 
From  thine  exterminating  sword  received  the  blow. 

LXXXIV. 

Now  turn,  my  muse,  to  that  old  throne  of  power  33 

Upon  the  seven  hills  so  long  upreared  : 

Behold  the  man  before  whom  millions  cower, 

Who,  as  a  God,  in  former  times  was  feared. 

Well  wears  he  robes  with  crimson  hue  besmeared, 

Fit  symbols  to  his  numerous  minions  given, 

Who  on  the  world  through  blood-red  clouds  have 

leered, 

And  with  their  works  the  hearts  of  millions  riven, 
Who  sought  with  fire  and  sword  to  win  the  world  to 

heaven. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  163 

LXXXV. 

Behold  the  man  who,  in  the  place  of  God, 
Has  claimed  the  homage  due  to  Him  alone  ; 
The  man  who  smote  the  world  with  iron  rod, 
And  made  its  kings  obedient  to  his  throne, 
That  all  their  realms  his  sovereign  power  should 

own ; 

Beneath  whose  interdict  no  king  could  stand, 
But,  outlawed  by  his  subjects,  and  undone, 
Must  leave  his  throne  and  fly  his  native  land. 
Hear  the  old  man  of  sin  assert  his  high  command. 

LXXXVI. 

What  name  than  mine  can  greater  be, 
Though  earth  be  searched  from  sea  to  sea  ? 
Yea,  though  the  search  reach  up  to  heaven, 
And  down  to  hell  with  lightnings  riven  ? 
For  lo  !  the  sceptre  of  my  power 
Is  owned  by  all.     My  thunders  lower 
In  every  sky,  and,  o'er  the  world, 
My  blood-red  banners  are  unfurled. 

On  land  they  wave  most  gloriously, 
Where  legions  charge  victoriously, 
And  on  the  sea,  where  navies  ride, 
Their  glory  crowns  the  heaving  tide. 
The  kings  of  earth  my  sceptre  own, 
And  pay  allegiance  to  my  throne. 
All  should  be  mine,  the  gold  and  gems, 
And  earth's  resplendent  diadems  ; 


164  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

The  merchandise  upon  the  seas, 
With  hoisted  sails  to  every  breeze ; 
The  cattle  on  a  thousand  hills, 
Whose  lowing  every  valley  fills ; 
And  horses  which  to  battle  dash 
Where'er  their  riders'  helmets  flash ; 
My  sovereign  power,  all,  all  controls, 
Even  men's  bodies  and  their  souls. 

Then  with  this  power  it  well  accords 

That  I,  by  men  and  angels  crowned 
The  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords, 
Should  in  Jehovah's  seat  be  throned. 
And  furthermore,  I  do  proclaim, 
By  the  dread  sanction  of  my  name, 
That  every  tribe  and  people  come, 
Wherever  they  may  rest  or  roam, 
And  me,  their  Lord  and  master,  greet, 
And  pour  their  offerings  at  my  feet ; — 
Or,  with  my  thunder-shaking  hand, 
I'll  scatter  them  o'er  sea  and  land, 
And  break  their  armies  o'er  the  world, 
Their  navies  to  destruction  hurled, 
Their  souls  to  hell's  hot  furies  given, 
By  lightnings  scorched  and  thunders  riven. 

Curst  be  the  man  that  will  not  raise, 
In  honor  of  my  mighty  name, 

Loud  Te  Deums  of  lofty  praise, 

And  wide  my  sovereign  power  proclaim  ; 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  165 

Curst  in  his  hands, — curst  in  his  feet, — 

Curst  in  his  head, — curst  in  his  heart, — 
Curst  in  his  house, — curst  in  the  street, — 

Curst  in  his  fields, — curst  in  the  mart, — 
Curst  when  he  roams, — curst  when  he  rests, — 
Curst  be  his  friends, — curst  be  his  guests, — 
With  fears  and  terrors  let  him  start, 
With  burnings  let  his  body  smart, — 
With  rack  and  torture  break  his  bones, 
And  fill  his  mouth  with  woeful  groans  ; 
Let  thirst  and  famine  pinch  his  flesh, 
And  pincers  tear  his  wounds  afresh  ; — 
Let  wild  beasts  rend  him  in  the  den, 

Till  death  shall  seize  him  as  its  prey ; 
His  name  be  outcast  with  all  men, 

Nor  in  their  recollection  stay. 
LET  DEEP  DAMNATION  SEIZE   HIS  SOUL 
WHO  WILL  NOT  OWN  MY  STRONG  CONTROL. 

: 

LXXXVII. 

Ah !  such  were  once  his  loud,  blasphemous  boasts, 
When,  at  his  beck,  all  nations  vilely  cowered, 
Then  he  received  the  worship  of  the  hosts, 
And  o'er  all  lands  his  potent  thunders  lowered, 
And  on  each  rebel's  head  his  bolts  were  showered. 
Into  his  hand  the  saints  of  God  were  given, 
Beneath  his  heel,  a  season,  overpowered, 
Until  the  time  shall  come,  decreed  of  heaven, 
When  he,  by  Venging  wrath,  shall  from  his  throne  be 
driven. 


1 66  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

LXXXVIII. 

Old  man,  the  hour  of  destiny  has  come,- 

God's  high  decrees  must  be  fulfilled  in  thee ; 

Not  long  o'er  earth  shall  thy  red  legions  roam  ; — • 

They  shall  be  overthrown  on  land  and  sea, 

And  naught,  from  pain  and  scath,  shall  set  them 

free. 

Down  from  the  frowning  heavens  the  angel  stoops,3s 
Ye  hear  his  wings  now  rushing  frightfully, 
As  swiftly  through  the  whirling  air  he  swoops, 
On  Rome  the  plagues  of  God  he  brings  in   countless 

troops. 

LXXXIX. 

Now  stand  in  awe !  upon  his  seat  of  power  36 
He  pours  the  fearful  vial  of  dread  wrath ; 
Ah !  the  deep  darkness  of  that  awful  hour 
Foretells  defeat,  and  direful  rout  and  death  ; 
And,  like  a  pall  of  doom,  hangs  o'er  his  path, — 
O'ercasts  his  cowering  hosts  with  deathful  gloom.. 
Ah !  how  they  raise  despairing  cries,  from  scath 
To  be  set  free  ;  but  vain  ; — the  reeking  tomb 
Is  gorged  with   myriads,  till   for  more  there  scarce  is 
room. 

XC. 

Vexed   with    the  heat,  the   blight,  the  blain,  the 

smart, 
They  gnaw  their  tongues,  bemaddened   with   the 

pain 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  l6/ 

Of  sore,  and  thirst,  and  piercing,  fiery  dart, 
Groping  in  darkness,  here  and  there ;  in  vain 
They  of  their  dreadful  sufferings  complain, 
And  on  the  name  of  God  their  curses  pour. 
Deep,  deep  the  avengers'  swords  with  crimson  stain 
Are  smeared ;  see,  midst  dire  revolution's  roar, 
Their  shattered  kingdom  falls,  and  falls  forevermore. 

XCI. 

'Tis  thus  five  woes,  each  other  following  37 
In  quick  succession,  from  the  first  to  last, 
So  quickly  that  the  dread  events  they  bring, 
O'erlapping,  crowd  each  other,  till  they're  past. 
While  at  the  first  the  nations  stand  aghast, 
A  fearful  war  is  raging  on  the  sea, 
And,  ere  'tis  o'er,  Italia  feels  the  blast, 
And  Europe  flames  with  war  most  fearfully ; 
Woes  heaped  on  woes,  and  deaths  on  bloody  butchery 

XCII. 

Ere  these  are  past,  the  fifth  woe  comes  in  wrath,  38 
And  rolls  upon  disabled,  sinking  Rome  39 
Dire  revolutions  in  war's  gory  path  ; «° 
The  Papal  power  sinks  prostrate,  overcome,  «* 
Robbed  of  its  riches,  filled  with  odium. 
To  pillage  doomed,  she  drinks  the  bitter  cup 
Which  she  to  other  lips,  so  burdensome, 
Full  oft  hath  pressed  ;  forced  even  to  yield  up 
The  sacred  person  of  her  trembling,  senile  Pope.  «2 


168  BEFORE     THE     DAWN. 

XCIII. 

A  helpless  prisoner,  he  is  dragged  away, 
To  die  alone  in  foreign,  hostile  lands ; 
Helpless  to  hold  his  puny  royal  sway 
From  falling  into  some  more  kingly  hands. 
Say,  sons  of  Italy,  by  whose  commands 
Do  ye  award  old  Rome  a  doom  so  rough  ?  43 
Why  take  the  spoil  once  spared  by  Gothic  bands? 
Why  from  her  gorgeous  'temples  carry  off 
Her  choicest  treasures,  while  at  her  ye  gibe  and  scoff? 

XCIV. 

We  blame  not  Italy  that  she  thus  casts 
Rome's  yoke  of  bondage  from  her  children's  necks. 
But  why,  Italians,  as  iconoclasts  " 
Disgrace  your  noble  cause  ?    Why  scatter  wrecks 
Of  art's  great  triumphs  in  the  glorious  tracks 
Which  mark  fair  Freedom's  progress  o'er  the  world  ? 
She  art  preserves,  the  soul  of  genius  wakes, 
And  not  destroys ;  her  banner  once  unfurled, 
The  foes  of  art,  not  art,  to  ruin  should  be  hurled. 

XCV. 

But  foreign  power  installs  another  Pope 
Within  the  walls  of  that  old  capital ; 
The  friends  of  freedom  strive  in  vain  to  cope 
With  brutal  ignorance,  and  despot's  thrall. 
They  yield  ;  again,  in  Church  and  senate  hall, 
The  minions  of  the  harlot  hold  their  sway. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  169 

And  yet,  not  long,  for  he  whom  millions  call 
Head  of  the  Church,  again  is  borne  away 
By  France,  and  lives  in  exile  many  a  weary  day. 

XCVI. 

And  yet,  again  in  Rome  is  reinstalled 
The  Holy  Father,  and,  for  fifty  years, 
His  lessening  realms  are  'neath  his  sway  enthralled, 
And  he  to  alternating  hopes  and  fears 
Is  left  a  prey.     Again  Nemesis  rears 
O'er  him  her  fearful  form,  and  rolls  on  Rome 
Another  revolution,  which  besmears 
The  seven  hills  with  blood,  drives  him  from  home 
An  exile,  all  his  boasting  legions  overcome. 

XCVII. 

In  vain  on  Garibafdi's  impious  head 
The  worsted  Pope  invokes  the  curse  of  heaven, 
And  on  his  armies  hurls  his  thunders  dread, 
By  which,  in  former  times,  whole  realms  were  riven. 
Emancipated  Italy  is  given 
To  fair  Sardinia's  king,  who  holds, 
O'er  North  and  South,  a  lenient  scepter  even, 
And  wide  the  flag  of  liberty  unfolds, 
While  pure  Religion  sings  for  joy  as  she  beholds. 

XCVIII. 

From  exile  he  would  never  have  returned 
To  occupy  again  the  Papal  chair, 
Had  not  the  bigot  zeal  of  Frenchmen  burned 
With  bayonets,  to  restore  and  hold  him  there. 


I/O  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

The  outrage  done,  how  little  was  his  share 
Of  what  was  his.     In  senile  helplessness, 
Not  half  his  realms  for  him  did  spoilers  spare, — 
A  patch  round  Rome  is  all  he  may  possess, 
Too  feeble  and  forsaken  to  obtain  redress. 

XCIX. 

But  still  his  high  pretensions  he  proclaims, 
Is  Christ's  vicegerent  o'er  the  earth  alone ; 
He  writes  his  name  above  all  kingly  names, 
And,  while  he  sits  upon  his  ancient  throne, 
He  stoutly  hurls  his  Papal  thunders  down 
Upon  the  daring  head  of  heresy 
Whose  loud  hosannas  all  his  clamors  drown. 
It  will  not  heed  the  Holy  Father's  cry, 
And  at  his  curses  impotent  will  never  die. 


In  looking  through  the  gloom  before  the  dawn,  ^ 
My  guide,  the  prophet  on  lone  Patmos'  Isle 
My  muse  to  thee,  my  native  land,  is  drawn. 
Did  not  the  prophet  gaze  on  thee  awhile,  *6 
When  on  his  vision  rose  that  wondrous  pile, — 
The  temple  of  the  future,  reared  of  God, — 
In  which  his  saints  should  worship,  weep  and  smile, 
Whose  long,  dark  aisles  their  bloody  feet  have  trod  ? 
Dost   thou    not   form    a   part    within    that    fane    fore- 
shewed  ? 

CI. 

Wast  thou  not  written  in  that  wondrous  book, 
Held  in  His  hand,  who  sat  upon  the  throne, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  \Jl 

Which  none  could  open,  none  thereon  could  look, 
Though  challenged  by  the  angel  to  make  known 
Whatever  in  the  book  might  be  foreshown  ? 
Innumerous  events  do  crowd  its  pages, 
On  both  sides  written  ;  can  there  not  be  one 
Which  speaks  of  thee, — thy  poets,  heroes,  sages, — 
Where   garnered  are   the  choicest  fruits  of  struggling 
ages? 

CII, 

Adown  the  dusky  track  of  centuries, 
Where  shadowy  wonders  crowd  upon  the  view, 
Where  wrangling  storms  and  murky  tempests  rise, 
Bestreamed  with  fire  and  war's  ensanguined  hue. 
The  prophet  saw  a  woman,  pure  and  true,  47 
In  sunlight  clad,  while,  under  her  white  feet, 
The  full  moon  rolled  upon  her  path  of  blue  ; 
Her  snowy  brow  and  flowing  ringlets  sweet, 
Were  crowned  with  a  coronal  where  the  stars  should 
meet. 


cm. 

Blest  mother  soon  to  be,  almost  as  dear 

As  Mary,  who  to  Christ  our  Lord  gave  birth, 

She  loudly  cried*  in  labor  pangs  severe, 

To  give  a  precious  offspring  to  the  earth, 

Whose  birth  should  cause  the  songs  of  holy  mirth 

To  sound  almost  as  loud  as  those  of  old, 

*  Rev.  xii.  i,  2. 


172  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

When  angels  rang  their  loud  hosannas  forth 
To  listening  shepherds  round  the  sleeping  fold, 
When  from  the  highest  heavens  the  answering  anthems 
rolled. 

CIV. 

Then  rose  before  his  vision,  huge,  misformed,  «8 

A  seven-headed  dragon,*  red  with  blood, 

Each  head    becrowned,  and   with    ten    horns   full 

armed. 

His  monstrous  tail,  as  he  through  ether  rowed 
Himself  along,  of  stars  a  countless  crowd 
Drew  after  him,  and  cast  them  down  from  heaven. 
Before  the  woman's  face  the  dragon  stood, 
With  greedy  eyes,  while  she  to  pangs  was  given, 
Her  offspring  to  devour  soon  as  her  womb  was  riven. 

CV. 

The  child  was  born,  a  man-child,  hale  and  strong, 
Who  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod 
Of  iron,f — he  should  rule  so  firm  and  long, — 
And  was  caught  up  unto  the  throne  of  God. 
The  woman  fled.     Then  Michael  sent  abroad 
The  summons  to  his  angels  to  make  war,  w 
To  crush  the  beast  beneath  Jehovah's  rod. 
They  fought ;    the  battle  clamored  near  and  far, 
The  wrathful  beast  fell  earthward  like  a  blazing  star. 

CVI. 

Dread  was  his  wrath,  he  knew  his  time  was  short, 
Woe  !  woe  to  dwellers  on  the  land  and  sea  ;  s° 

*  Rev.  xii.  3,  4.  *  Rg;vT  xii.  5-13. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  173 

With  furious  rage  he  sought  the  woman's  hurt,  s1 
That  he  on  heaven  avenged  might  surely  be. 
She  fled  his  presence  for  security, 52 
On  wings  of  eagle  to  the  wilderness, 
To  wait  the  wonders  of  futurity, 
A  time  and  times  and  half  time  in  duress,  ^ 
By  hand  of  God  sustained  amidst  her  loneliness. 

CVII. 

The  dragon  war  upon  the  woman  waged, 
And  sent  his  armies  after  like  a  flood, 
To  drown  her  sons  ;  and  fierce  the  conflict  raged, 
Till  lo !  his  minions,  weltering  in  their  blood, 
Were  swallowed  by  the  earth,  who  pitying  stood, 
To  help  the  woman  in  the  fearful  fight ; 
She  only  gave  the  world  the  purest  good, 
And  sought  to  bless  all  lands  writh  truth  and  light, 
Earth's   sorrows  lessen,  and  make   glad    her  darksome 
night. 

CVIII. 

The  battles  which  the  dragon  fought  against 
The  woman  and  her  seed  for  ages  lasted, 
While  all  his  missiles  from  her  aegis  glanced, 
Until  the  monster  and  his  hosts  were  blasted 
By  heaven's  increasing  fire,  and  he,  detested, 
Into  the  horrid  deeps  of  hell  was  hurled, 
Of  all  his  guile  and  mighty  power  divested, 
No  more  to  blacken,  curse,  or  scorch  the  world  ; — 
BEFORE  THE  DAWN  his  blood-red  banners  shall  be  furled. 


174  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

CIX. 

How  like  the  Church  may  this  fair  woman  be, 
True  to  the  Lord,  clad  in  his  righteousness ; 
Her  wondrous  son,  like  civil  Liberty, 54 
Born  of  her  pangs,  decreed  the  world  to  bless ; 
And  likest  despotism's  vile  ugliness, 
The  seven-headed  monster,  horned  and  red, 
Upon  whose  back  she  sat,  in  wantonness, 
The  woman  for  whose  gain  the  nations  bled, 
Far  from  whose  gloomy  realms  both  light  and  peace 
had  fled. 

CX. 

Dark  ages  o'er  the  world  have  cast  their  gloom, 
And    nations   clanked    their  chains  in  slavery's 

night, — 

Has  Freedom  with  Religion  found  a  tomb  ? 
No,  no !  the  first  to  heaven  has'  ta'en  her  flight, 
Until  the  time  appointed  for  the  right 
To  triumph  in  the  world,  and  then  descend. 
And  sweet  Religion  finds  her  heart's  delight 
In  the  lone  desert,  with  her  husband,  friend, 
Half  exiled  from  the  world  until  the  night  shall  end. 

CXI. 

Far  down  the  shadowy  vista  peers  the  eye 
Prophetic,  'midst  the  turmoil  of  the  storm, 
Where  Superstition,  Tyranny,  full  high 
Have  raised  their  banners,  nerved  the  murderou 
arm, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  1/5 

Around  whose  standards  servile  millions  swarm. 
From  rift  in  yonder  tempest  cloud  behold  !  ss 
A  white-winged,  graceful-gliding,  beauteous  form, 
Rides  proudly  o'er  the  waves,*  with  aspect  bold, 
By  wrangling  demons  of  the  tempest  uncontrolled. 

CXII. 

See !  where  she  flies  the  tempest  legions  cower, 
The  clouds  uplift  and  scatter  from  her  path, 
Nor  does  Old  Ocean  claim  her  for  his  dower, 
So  wont  to  swallow  all  that  mocks  his  wrath  ; 
But  o'er  her  way  are  hovering  Hope  and  Faith 
And  Love,  whose  glorious  trains  her  journey  lighten, 
Whilst  on  her  head  is  set  a  starry  wreath, 
A  turban  blue,  on  which  her  glories  brighten, — 
Those  stars  which  from  their  work  the  despot's  minions 
frighten. 

CXIII. 

On,  on  she  holds  her  way,  the  billows  cleaving, 
By  angel  hands  conducted  in  her  course  ; 
Sink  down  her  native  mountains  she  is  leaving, — 
From  mother  land  she  seeks  a  long  divorce  ; 
Ring  out  the  ocean's  anthems  loud  and  hoarse, 
While  endless  wastes  of  waters  round  her  roll. 
Hark !  hear  that  music,  set  to  sounding  verse, 
Which  from  her  deck  rings  out  the  distant  tocsin's 

knoll, 
Loud  hallelujahs  pealed  from  Freedom's  lofty  soul. 

*  Rev.  xii.  14. 


1/6  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

CXIV. 

O  God  of  nations,  speed  her  on  her  flight, 
Conduct  her  to  some  harbor  safe  and  large, 
Cause  her  bright  stars  to  cast  their  hallowed  light 
O'er  all  the  world  ;  throw  over  her  thy  targe, 
To  shield  her  head  when  envious  storms  discharge 
Their  bolts  to  stop  her  flight,  and  in  the  deep 
O'erwhelm  her ;  stay  the  mountain  floods  that  surge 
Against  her  prow,  and  hush  the  winds  to  sleep  ; — 
All  o'er  her  long  and  dangerous  way  thy  vigils  keep. 

CXV. 

Behold  !  behold  !  ye  nations  near  and  far, 
The  brave  ship's  pilgrimage  across  the  sea, 
Her  mast-head  lifts  a  second  Bethlehem's  star 
To  point  the  people  where  the  child  should  be 
Who  is  to  rule  the  world,  fair  Liberty ; 
Her  home  is  far  beyond  the  heaving  wave 
A  land  outspread  in  virgin  purity, — 
There  is  an  empire  for  the  free  and  brave, 
Where  shall  not  clank  the  chain  of  serf  or  cringing  slave. 

CXVI. 

Far  o'er  the  main  a  thousand  leagues  she's  fled, 
A  boundless  sea  her  lessening  rodder  laves. 
What  is  yon  object  glimmering  far  ahead  ? 
There  'mid  the  roaring  rocks  the  ocean  raves, 
See  how  they  break  in  spray  the  giant  waves. 
The  land,  the  land,  a  rocky  coast  uprears 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  177 

Across  her  path  ;  the  way  she  boldly  braves, — 
Lo !  yonder  'twixt  the  rocks  a  way  she  clears, 
Into  a  broad  haven  the  Mayflower  safely  steers. 

CXVII. 

High  dash  the  waves  along  the  rock-bound  shore, 
Shrill  shrieks  the  wind  as  she  approaches  land, 
But  yet  in"  accents  heard  above  the  roar, 
Rolls  the  high  anthem  of  that  pilgrim  band. 
The  vessel. anchors  near  the  stormy  strand  ; 
They  man  her  boats,  and  lo  !  on  Plymouth  Rock 
They  moor  them  fast,  and  soon  upon  it  stand, 
And  make  it  a  defense  to  break  the  shock 
Of  Titan  tempest,  all  oppression's  wrath  to  mock. 

CXVIII. 

Lo !  there  the  woman,  seen  by  prophet's  eye, 
To  howling  wilderness  for  safety  fled, 
To  rear  her  offspring,  raise  her  banners  high, 
And  gather  constellations  round  her  head. 
The   Church  of  Christ,  ere  many  years  have  sped, 
Hath  fixed  her  tendrils  strongly  in  that  soil, 
And  wide  o'er  rugged  hill  and  vale  hath  spread 
Her  tabernacles,  far  from  brunt  or  broil, 
Or  shock  of  hostile  arms  her  heritage  to  spoil. 

CXIX. 

But,  when  to  millions  they  have  multiplied, 
The  greedy  monster  sends  across  the  main  s6 
The  mercenary  hordes  to  him  allied,* 
To  bind  the  woman  with  the  tyrant's  chain. 

*  Rev.  xii.  15-]  7. 


178  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

They  wage  a  murderous  war  on  her  in  vain  ; 
She  tramples  them  in  dust,  and  lo !  the  earth 
Doth  drink  their  blood  and  cover  up  their  slain. 
Hark !  hear  the  paeons  of  triumphant  mirth, 
As  from  the  throes  of  war  a  nation  has  its  birth. 

CXX. 

What  wondrous  growth,  my  native  land,  is  thine, 
Thy  ten-fold  people  throng  thy  hills  and  vales; 
Upon  two  oceans 'does  thy  baldric  shine, 
Seas,  lakes,  and  rivers,  whiten  with  thy  sails  ; 
Across  a  continent  are  stretched  thy  rails, 
Thy  thundering  cars  shake  mountain,  valley,  plain ; 
Thy  wealth  in  fields  of  commerce  never  fails, 
And  heaven's  swift  fires  thy  messages  contain, 
Though  o'er  thy  broad  expanse  no  king  may  ever  reign. 

CXXI. 

But  yet  that  dragon,  cunning  in  his  schemes, 57 
Did  plant  a  germ  in  thy  productive  soil, — 
While  thy  great  statesmen  reveled  in  their  dreams. 
Of  future  good, — thy  heritage  to  spoil, 
Which  laid  in  bonds  three  million  sons  of  toil. 
It  grew  a  dreadful  monster  like  its  sire, 
And  circled  half  thy  land  within  its  coil ; 
To  seize  the  rest  it  burned  with  fierce  desire, 
And  whelmed  the  anguished  nation  in  a  sea  of  fire. 

CXXII. 

Dark  was  the  time  when  on  that  throne  of  power 
The  angel  poured  the  fearful  vial  out  ;* 

*  Rev.  xvi.  10,  n. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  1/9 

And  black  the  tempest  which  in  heaven  did  lower, 
And  long  it  raged  amidst  the  mingled  shout 
Of  wrangling  foes,  until  disastrous  rout 
Poured  its  hot  bolts  on  Slavery's  hydra  head, — 
Until  his  grizzly  front  was  turned  about, 
And  from  the  field  he  and  his  minions  fled  ; 
Yea,  till  the  sword  of  God  had  smote  the  monster  dead. 

CXXIII. 

Thus  this  dread  vial  reached  across  the  seas, 
And  thus  its  lightnings  shattered  slavery's  throne. 
So,  o'er  a  mighty  nation,  on  the  breeze, 
Far  to  the  North,  its  subtle  influence  blown, 
On  forty  million  men  in  serfdom  prone 
It  fell,  and  quickly  all  their  bonds  were  riven  ; 
And  when  the  glorious  work  abroad  was  known, 
To  every  feeling  heart  great  joy  was  given, 
And  Freedom's  anthem  rang  exultingly  to  heaven. 

CXXIV. 

Imperial  Russia,  hail  to  thy  great  Czar  I 
Who  spake  the  word,  and  Serfdom  ceased  to  be, 
Without  arousing  the  dread  fiends  of  war  ; 
My  native  land  extends  the  hand  to  thee. 
Thy  forty  million  serfs  at  once  made  free, 
With  our  enfranchised  sons  of  toil  may  raise 
Their  psalms  of  Freedom,  borne  above  the  sea, 
To  our  predestinating  God,  and  praise 
The  wisdom  that  foreshows  His  wondrous  works  and 
ways. 


180  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

CXXV. 

The  solemn  shadows  of  the  coming  time 
Begin  to  cast  their  thickening  gloom,  before 
The  last  night  watch  peals  out  its  closing  chime ; 
The  earth  prepares  for  conflict,  fierce  and  sore, 
And  darkness  deepens,  but  'twill  soon  be  o'er. 
Around  we  hear  the  notes  of  preparation, 
Full  soon  will  break  the  battle's  fearful  roar, 
To  fill  the  foe  with  woeful  lamentation, 
And  for  the  laboring  Church  complete  a  full  salvation. 

cxxvi. 

Rome's  hierarchy  feels  the  heavy  blows 
That  shake  her  power  in  Austria,  France  and  Spain, 
Redoubling  on  her  head  the  dreadful  woes 
Which  she  received  before,  on  land  and  main. 
See  !  where  she,  wounded,  writhes  in  deathful  pain, 
On  dread  Sadowa's  fearful  field  of  blood. 
Ah !  what  a  blow  to  weaken  her  long  reign 
By  Nemesis,  avenger  of  the  good, 

Where    once   the    martyr,   Huss,  mid   burning   faggots 
stood. 

CXXVII. 

Ah !  yes,  Bohemia,  from  thy  sprinkled  ground 
The  blood  of  martyrs  long  to  heaven  has  cried  ; 
Four  hundred  years  it  hears  the  woeful  sound, 
And  knows  how  many  sons  and  daughters  died 
To  sate  the  Roman's  hatred,  lust  and  pride. 
But  long  delays  the  sure,  descending  blow, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  l8l 

That,  when  upon  his  chariot  he  should  ride 
For  fullest  vengeance,  all  the  world  might  know — 
THE  MILL  OF  GOD  GRINDS  FINE,  THOUGH  IT  GRIND 
SLOW. 

cxxvin. 

How  was  thy  scepter  broken,  scarlet  Rome, 
In  that  great  Empire,  by  that  fearful  fray, 
When  Austria  was  by  Prussia  overcome  ! 
What  millions  ransomed  from  thy  hateful  sway ! 
See,  as  the  smoke  of  battle  rolls  away, 
So  passes  thy  dominion  from  that  land. 
Its  king  enfranchised  shall  no  more  obey 
Thy  laws  supreme,  nor  fear  thy  puny  hand, 
Though  feebly  grasping  thunders  to  uphold  command. 

cxxix. 

Now  Italy,  fair  land,  thy  Venice  take, 
In  this  affray  wrenched  from  the  tyrant's  hand  ; 
With  Lombardy  she  hastens  now  to  make 
Thine  ancient  realm  o'er  all  thy  sunny  land 
Complete ;  and  States  torn  from  the  Pope's  com 
mand, 

Still  more  enlarge  thy  fast  increasing  sway. 
The  time  will  come  when,  from  the  Tiber's  strand, 
United  Italy  shall  drive  away 
All  foes,  with  Rome  her  capital.    GOD  SPEED  THE  DAY. 

cxxx. 

Spain,  bloody  mother  of  a  bloodier  son,* 
How  supple  was  thy  king  to  Rome  of  yore ! 

*  Philip  Second. 


182  BEFORE      THE     DAWN. 

What  horrors  hath  thy  Inquisition  known ! 
How  swam  thy  dungeons  dark  with  martyr  gore  ! 
How  hast  thou  slain  thy  thousands  many  score, 
And  desolated  kingdoms  with  the  scourge 
With  which  red  Rome  has  lashed  the  nations  sore, 
Upon  unwilling  necks  her  yoke  to  urge, 
The  world  from  so-called  fatal  heresy  to  purge ! 

CXXXI. 

On  thee,  in  his  full  time,  the  avenger  came,* 
When  endless  thousands  swarmed  thy  land  from 

Gaul, 

And  lit  thy  towns  and  cities  in  the  flame 
Of  war,  and  made  thy  sons  by  myriads  fall, 
And  draped  thy  beauteous  land  in  death's  black 

pall; 

When  every  breeze  was  laden  with  the  wail 
Of  thy  fair  daughters,  who  could  ne'er  recall 
Their  lovers,  slain  amidst  the  battle's  hail, 
And  widows'  woeful  moans  arose  without  avail. 

CXXXII. 

Yet,  though  thy  pride  was  humbled  in  the  dust, 
And  glory  faded  from  thy  martial  wreath, 
Thy  greatness  gone,  still  thou  didst  put  thy  trust 
In  bloody  Rome,  and  blindly  sit  beneath 
Her  upas  shadow  breeding  naught  but  death  ; 
And  in  thy  folly  impotently  swear 
Her  monstrous  claims,  until  thy  latest  breath, 
With  all  thy  might  t'  uphold,  no  force  should  tear 
Thee  from  her  bosom — yea,  for  aye  thou  wouldst  be 
there. 

*  Napoleon's  campaigns  in  Spain. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  183 

CXXXIII. 

And  there  thou  didst  remain,  as  if  entombed 
In  some  dark  crypt  beyond  all  mortal  ken, 
Dead  to  the  living  world,  forever  doomed 
To  superstition's  chains,  and  ne'er  again 
To  wake  to  glory  with  thy  fellow-men, 
With  them  all  emulous  in  high  emprise. 
AWAKE,  O  SPAIN,  and  from  thy  sleepy  den 
Come  forth  to-day,  and  ope  thy  wondering  eyes, 
And  see  what  costly  guerdon  bids  thy  sons  arise. 

CXXXIV. 

Where  are  thy  works  of  art  ?  pray  tell  me,  Spain  ; 
Where  is  thy  wealth  that  whitened  on  the  wave  ? 
Thy  golden  galleons  that  plowed  the  main  ? 
And  where  thy  gallant  soldiers,  once  so  brave? 
Search  for  these  treasures  at  Religion's  grave. 
Where  are  thy  railroads,  with  their  engine's  roar? 
And  where  thy  knowledge,  industry  to  save 
Thy  people  ?     Go  ask  him  who  laid  thy  shore 
Beneath  stern  interdiction's  blasting,  crushing  power. 

cxxxv. 

Go,  lay  on  Rome  this  fearful  charge  of  guilt, 
That  she  has  barred  thy  sons  from  heaven's  blest 

light, 

While  they  for  her  their  choicest  blood  have  spilt, 
She  shuts  them  in  with  adamantine  night, 
And  with  her  grasping,  grim  and  ghostly  might, 
Has  strangled  all  their  highest  aspirations, 


184  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Till  from  thy  land  Religion  takes  her  flight, 
And  leaves  thy  sons  to  her  stale  incantations. 
O   pray,  then,  "  RISE  AND   BLAST   HER  POWER,   GREAT 
GOD  OF  NATIONS." 

CXXXVI. 

HARK  !  HARK  !  an  echo  borne  across  the  sea, 
Of  revolution  sweeping  o'er  that  land  ; 
Her  sons  arise,  and  swear  she  shall  be  free, 
They  tear  the  scepter  from  her  tyrant's  hand, — 
The  vile  corrupter  flies  at  their  command. 
They  strike  for  liberty  from  Papal  Rome, 
And  on  religious  freedom  take  their  stand, 
To  give  to  all  the  land  the  sacred  tome, 
And  ope  the  fount  of  life  on  every  hearth  and  home. 

CXXXVII. 

HlSPANIA,  HAIL  THE  MORNING  OF  NEW  LIFE! 
Hail  to  the  throes  that  give  thee  a  new  birth ! 
God  save  thee  from  a  long  continued  strife, 
And  set  thee  in  high  places  of  the  earth. 
Thou  turnst  thy  back  upon  the  blight  and  dearth 
Which  Rome  has  fastened  on  thy  hungry  soul ; 
Turn  now  thy  heart  to  pure  Religion's  worth, 
Thy  name  beneath  her  banner  now  enrol, 
And  dread  as  much  the  atheist's  as  the  Pope's  control. 

cxxxvni. 

Thou  Rip  Van  Winkle  of  a  thousand  years, 
Dost  hear  the  train  of  progress  thundering  on  ? 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  185 

Dost  hear  the  kingdoms  shake  about  thine  ears  ? 
Dost  feel  beneath  thee  now  thy  tottering  throne  ? 
Dost  know  thy  thunder-shaking  bird  has  flown  ? 
Dost  see  thy  bulls  before  the  eagles  cower  ? 
Thy  pigmy  foe  e'en  to  a  giant  grown  ? 
Awake,  O  Pope,  and  save  thy  waning  power, 
Put  on  a  cloud  of  wrath  and  bid  thy  thunders  lower. 

CXXXIX 

Ye  heretics,  attend.     The  Vatican 
Gives  forth  a  sound  portentous ;  he  awakes  ; 
Now  brave  the  tempest  every  one  who  can  ; 
With  sorest  wrath  his  mighty  hand  he  shakes, 
And  on  the  startled  ear  his  thunder  breaks. 
The  seven  mountains  labor, — what  comes  forth  ? 
A  "  mus  ridiculus  !  "  hear  what  it  speaks  ; 
The  Syllabus  of  Pius  !  hear  it  South  and  North, 
And  East  and  West  proclaim  it  over  all  the  earth. 


CXL. 

Poor  silly  Pope,  thou  art  behind  thy  time, 
The  nations  do  not  heed  thy  piteous  cry ; 
Earth's  grand  improvements  spread  in  every  clime, 
Religious  freedom  breathes  'neath  every  sky, 
And  heresy  triumphant  will  not  die  ; 
The  ghost  that  frights  thee,  father,  will  not  down, 
For  mighty  truth  is  stronger  than  a  lie ; 
It  will  not  cower  beneath  thine  angry  frown, 
Nor  will  it  longer  wear  the  martyr's  bloody  crown. 


1 86  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

CXLI. 

O  Pius,  don't  despair,  but  try  once  more, 

And    call    thy    VIRTUES,    BISHOPS,    PRINCES, 

POWERS, 

(They  surely  won't  despise  thy  taurus'  roar,) 
To  help  thee  stay  Saint  Peter's  crumbling  towers. 
And  shield  thee,  for  destruction  o'er  thee  lowers. 
He  calls,  and  thousands  hear  him,  one  and  all 
They  hasten  from  the  earth's  remotest  shores 
At  their  old  father's  feet  again  to  fall, 
And  form  at  Rome  a  council  ecumenical. 

CXLII. 

"  All  hail,  ye  hierarchs  of  Church  and  State," 
(The  Pope  addresses  them  as  he  of  old 
Was  wont,)  "  and  all  that  on  your  mother  wait, 
"  My  many  subjects, — if  the  truth  be  told, — 
"  Do  not  regard  me,  though  I  weep  and  scold  ; 
"  Declare  ye  my  infallibility, 
11  It  will  increase  my  power  a  thousand  fold, 
"  And  greatly  add  to  my  tranquility, 
"  And  stay  me  up  while  sinking  in  senility. 

CXLII  I. 

"  Make  me  INFALLIBLE,  ye  priests  of  God," 
(At  least  make  doting  fools  believe  him  so,) 
"  I'll  make  the  nations  tremble  'neath  my  rod  : 
"  I'll  tread  on  necks  of  kings,  as  long  ago 
"  Rome's  hierarchs  were  wont ;  yea,  I  will  show 
"  The  roaring  wheels  of  progress  where  to  boom 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  l8/ 

"  Or  stop,"  (a  thing  they  ought  to  learn  to  know,) 
"  Scare    their    conductors    with    some    threatened 

doom, 
"  Or  sweep  them  off  the  track  with  my  ecclesial  broom. 

CXLIV. 

"  Besides,  ye  saints,"  (a  thing  of  no  account,) 
"  I'll  make  our  Peter's  pence  in  golden  streams 
"  Ten-fold,  flow  singing  to  our  holy  mount, 
"  And  you  shall  realize  your  fondest  dreams 
"  Of  wealth  and  power,  as  sure  it  well  beseems 
"  The  faithful,  and  if  fallibilitie 
"  Belongs  to  me,  as  sketicism  misdeems, 
"  Infallible  shall  be  my  treasurie, 
"  For  alT  the  gold  of  nations  sure  belongs  to  me.' 

CXLV. 

And  can  it  be  a  man  that  has  his  wits, 
Believes  himself  so  favored  of  high  Heaven 
That  from  that  tottering  throne  whereon  he  sits 
Commands  infallible  can  e'er  be  given  ? 
What  if  by  Papal  bulls  States  once  were  riven  ! 
Or  by  a  mighty  crime  would  he  deceive 
And  hold  men  down,  who  for  the  light  have  striven, 
In  sottish  ignorance  for  aye  to  live, 
And  bow  to  his  as  to  Divine  Prerogative  ? 

CXLVI. 

O  blasphemy,  how  brazen  is  thy  front, 
Thus  to  usurp  Jehovah's  awful  throne ; 


188  BEFORE     THE     DAWN. 

How  long  immunity  canst  thou  account 
Ere  thou'lt  be  blasted  by  his  withering  frown  ? 
Thou  seekest  still  a  universal  crown. 
Say,  when  thy  starving  children  ask  for  bread, 
What  dost  thou  give  to  fill  their  mouths  ?    A  stone. 
For  fish  ?     A  serpent  poisonous  instead. 
What  crown  is  infamous  enough  to  wreathe  thy  head  ? 

CXLVII. 

O  live  there,  Heaven,  within  the  light  of  day, 
So  many  millions  breathing  thy  sweet  air, 
At  such  a  shrine  to  throw  their  souls  away, 
On  such  an  altar  pour  unmeaning  prayer? 
Dumb,  driven  cattle  hasting,  anywhere, 
At  beck  of  tonsured  Priest  or  mitred  Pope, 
Believing  nonsense  stark  oracular, 
Content  in  stolid  blindness  thus  to  grope, 
Now  moved  by  craven  fear,  and  now  delusive  hope. 

CXLVIII. 

Almighty  Spirit,  breathe  thy  potent  breath 
Upon  these  slain,  that  they  may  live  again ; 
Cause  life  to  pulsate  'twixt  their  ribs  of  death, 
That  they  may  stand  and  walk  like  living  men, 
And  see  what  things  lie  open  to  their  ken  ; 
That  they  may  seek  the  infallible  in  Popes 
No  more,  nor  yet  in  any  creature  ;  then 
Inflame  their  aspirations  with  those  hopes 
Which  cheer  the  saint  when  he  with  hell's  dark  legions 
copes. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  189 

CXLIX. 

Although  the  Pope  now  merits  piteous  scorn, 
And  only  that  receives  from  thinking  men  ; 
Although  the  Papal  Church  is  rudely  torn 
By  heresies  and  factions,  still  she  lives, 
And  something  in  her  constitution  gives 
Her  great  vitality  and  power,  a  life 
Which,  while  it  wanes,  its  wasting  power  retrieves, 
And  will  not  yield  to  reformation's  knife 
Until  it  shakes  the  world  with  mortal  din  and  strife. 


CL. 

Fully  awake  to  her  great  loss  of  power 
In  her  old  seats  of  empire  'cross  the  sea, 
Upon  thy  sky  her  boding  tempests  lower,  s8 
AMERICA  ;  she  calls  them  up  for  thee. 
'Tis  true  thou  boastest  now  that  thou  art  free ; 
Take  warning,  Rome  is  forging  heavy  chains,  59 
To  lay  thy  sons  again  in  slavery ; 
With  evil  eye  she  sees  thy  hills  and  plains, 
And  lusts  to  rule   the  land   o'er  which  fair  Freedom 
reigns. 6o 

CLI. 

Think  not,  my  native  land,  that  spirit  dead, 
Which  stained  her   hands   with  blood,  in   former 

times,  ^ 

Think   not  those  bloody  nands  would  spare  thy 

head, 
Though  full  the  record  of  her  former  crimes ; 


BEFORE     THE     DAWN. 

For  she  has  desolated  fairer  climes. 
If  she  to  her  own  power  can  give  increase, 
It  fully  with  her  bloody  spirit  chimes 
To  drive  from  thee  all  true  religion,  peace, 
And  make  thy  freedom,  worship,  e'en  thy  Bible  cease.61 

CLII. 

Guard  thy  Palladium  well,  America,62 
The  center  and  circumference  of  thy  power ; 
THY  OPEN  BIBLE,  which  has  spread  thy  sway 
O'er  realms  of  mind,  increasing  every  hour : 
It  is  assailed,  the  flames  above  it  lower, 
And  threat  to  take  from  men  its  sacred  lore. 
Thou  must  not  at  Rome's  haughty  footstool  cower, 
If  thou  wouldst  save  thyself,  from  shore  to  shore, 
Though  ballots,  bullets,  threaten — even  seas  of  gore. 

CLIII. 

Another  of  thy  bulwarks  is  assailed — 

Thy  COMMON  SCHOOLS,  which  e'er  have  been  thy 

pride, 

From  which  the  spring  Pierian  has  not  failed 
To  flow  to  all  thy  parts,  a  crystal  tide, 
O'erflowing  thy  great  country,  far  and  wide  ; 
But  Priests  would  educate  thy  sons  and  daughters, 
And  for  j;hy  halls  of  science  would  provide, 
Corrupting  all  thy  sweetest,  clearest  waters 
With  their  dark  superstitions.     EVIL  PLOTTERS. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  igi 

CLIV. 

Let  Europe's  priest-rid  lands  a  warning  give, 
How  thou  entrustest  to  such  crafty  hands 
Thy  dearest  boons.     O  wilt  thou  not  believe 
That  groping  ignorance  on  which  she  stands, 
By  which  she  gains  consent  to  her  commands, 
The  only  portion  she  will  give  to  thee, 
As  to  the  stolid  mass  of  other  lands  ? 
All  that  she'll  give  to  them  who  bow  the  knee 
To  her,  is  knowledge  to  uphold  the  Roman  See. 

CLV 

She  marches  on  to  empire,  silent,  sure,63 
Deep-laid  her  schemes,  and  strong  her  outworks 

stand ; 

She  builds  as  if  for  ages  to  endure,  6« 
As  if  her  rule  no  one  could  countermand ; 
And  myriads  are  swarming  to  our  strand, 
The  sworn  allegiants  of  a  foreign  king — 
King  Pope  —  sworn  to  support,  with  heart  and 

hand  ; 

And  to  our  cherished  institutions  bring 
No  love,  but  hatred  in  their  hearts  deep  smouldering, 

CLVI. 

Let  none  accuse  the  poet  with  croaking,  when 
He  augurs  yet  a  conflict  sharp  with  Rome, 
Unless  we're  willing  to  be  slaves  again. 
To  save  our  dear-bought  liberty  at  home, 


IQ2  BEFORE     THE     DAWN. 

We,  or  our  sons,  must  to  the  conflict  come — 
A  conflict  of  opinion  it  may  be, 
If  we're  in  time ;  but  by  delay,  the  drum 
Shall  beat  the  warning  roll,  and  call  the  free 
To  strike  with  carnal  arms  again  for  liberty. 


CLVII. 

We  hear  the  notes  of  preparation  sounding, 
And  see  portentous  heralds  of  that  day, 
And  while  the  signs  of  evil  seem  abounding, 
Behold,  the  hand  of  God  prepares  the  way, 
And  better  portents  come  in  blest  array. 
The  high-built  walls  of  separation  fall, 
And  Christian  love  begins  to  hold  her  sway ; 
Exclusiveness  begins  to  lose  her  thrall, 
And  love's  blest  union  banner  soon  shall  wave  o'er  all. 


CLVIII. 

The  Lord  the  Christian  host  begins  to  mass 
For  some  decisive  move  along  the  front, 
Beyond  the  present  army  lirfes  to  pass, 
On  some  stronghold  or  battlement  to  mount 
His  glorious  banner;  or,  in  battle's  front, 
Repel  the  fierce  assault  of  gathering  foes, 
Who  compass  the  destruction,  as  they  're  wont, 
Of  all  that  we  hold  dear.     He  bids  us  close 
With  them,  and  strike  their  daring  front  with  crushing 
blows. 


BEFORE     THE     DAWN.  .         193 

CLIX. 

Hail,  Christian  union,  blessed  of  the  Lord, 
Thy  trophies  now  begin  to  mark  our  age ; 
Two  mighty  hosts  are  marshaled  in  accord, 
In  their  united  strength,'  this  war  to  wage, 
To  stand  with  breast  to  breast  while  battles  rage. 
HAIL  !   THE  BLUE  FLAG  OF  CALVIN  AND  OF  KNOX, 
Of  those  brave  old  reformers,  glorious  badge, 
High  may'st  thou  wave  upon  the  eternal  rocks, 
And  ne'er  go  down  in  storm,  though  wild  the  tempest's 
shocks. 

CLX. 

God  speed  the  time  when  all  that  bear  that  flag, 
In  one  strong  band  of  union  shall  be  bound  ; 
When  none  from  high  emprise  their  feet  shall  lag, 
And  loud  their  shout  of  battle  shall  resound. 
ETERNAL  SPIRIT,  bring  the  day  around, 
When  other  severed  Churches  shall  arise, 
And  each  the  other  with  love's  arms  surround, 
In  bonds  of  union  sealed  above  the  skies ; 
Let  prayers  and  songs  united,  hell's  dark  hosts  surprise. 

CLXI. 

And  hasten,  too,  the  blessed  time  when  all, 
However  named,  that  love  our  gracious  Lord, 
As  God  in  man,  into  one  line  shall  fall, 
And,  with  a  shout  of  high  and  rapt  accord, 
Unsheath  and  wave  aloft  the  flaming  sword, 
And  rain  its  crushing  blows  on  death's  dark  towers, 

9 


194  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Until  his  conquering,  all-triumphant  word, 
Shall  put  to  flight  the  Devil's  marshaled  powers, 
And  men  and  angels  shout,  "  THE  VICTORY  IS  OURS." 

CLXII. 

But  hark !  while  paeons  of  triumphant  mirth 
Rise  from  our  native  land,  with  joy,  to  heaven, 
A  muttering  storm  begins  to  shake  the  earth,  6« 
Across  the  sea,  as  if  her  womb  were  riven, 
And  in  her  throes  most  fearful  portents  given 
Of  monstrous  births.      Hear  th'   tramp  of  armed 

men, 
O'er  fields  where    maddened   hosts  of  yore   have 

striven. 

Lo  !  Gaul  sends  forth  her  vulture  brood  again  ; 
Her  martial  bugles  shake  the  mountain,  plain  and  glen. 

CLXIII. 

Behold  her  glittering  pageant  proudly  wave 
Her  martial  plumes  ;  her  armor  glitters  far, — 
A  million  men  go  forth.     To  what  ?     The  grave. 
Ah !  see  what  pride  and  circumstance  of  war ! 
Soon  ends  the  pomp,  soon  sets  her  glory's  star. 
Get  ready  God's  great  wine-press  of  dread  wrath, 
Heap  high  a  sacrifice  piacular, 

With  vine  of  earth,  reaped  from  destruction's  path. 
Death's  steeds,  wade  to  your  bridles  in  the  gory  math. 

CLXIV. 

Ah !  what  destruction  in  this  monstrous  war ! 
What  bloody  torrents  deluge  that  fair  land  ! 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  195 

What  din,  infernal  thunders,  near  and  far ! 
In  vain  the  Gauls  the  German  hosts  withstand  ; 
Thy  day,  Sedan,  breaks  down  his  high  command 
Who  grasped  for  empire,  though  to  wade  in  blood 
Unto  a  throne,  or  stain  his  royal  hand 
With  blackest  crimes,  were  needed.    There  he  stood 
And  sowed  the  dragon's  teeth,  to  reap  a  serpent  brood. 

CLXV. 

Proud  man  !  in  shame  thy  haughty  pride  doth  end, 

A  deep  disgrace  thy  royal  purple  stains ; 

No  fawning  sycophants  thy  way  attend, 

Thou  art  saluted  by  no  martial  strains. 

A  captive,  thy  forsaken  soul  complains 

Of  treachery,  when  impotence  alone, 

Joined  with  that  pride  of  power  which  filled  thy 

brains, 
Uncrowned  thy  head,   and   drove   thee  from   thy 

throne ; 
But  it  is  well  that  thou  shouldst  for  thy  sins  atone. 


CLXVI. 

Look  at  the  ruin  thine  ambition  makes ; 
See  how  have  fallen  myriads  true  and  brave  ; 
With   war's    dread    larums    thine    whole    Empire 

shakes, 

Near  half  thy  realm  is  one  vast,  reeking  grave, 
And  thy  proud  capital  no  power  can  save  ; — 
The  cannon  thunder  at  her  trembling  gates, 


196  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

And  millions  there  with  cold  and  famine  rave ; 
Poor  Paris  reels  amid  her  maddening  straits, 
She  falls!  she  falls  f  forsaken  by  her  fickle  fates. 

CLXVII. 

Look  at  the  myriad  homes  now  desolate, — 
Their  sun  gone  down  in  shades  of  deepest  night,- 
What  lands  made  bare !  what  cities  subjugate! 
Or  laid  in  smouldering  ruins  in  the  fight ! 
Till  La  Belle  France  mourns  at  her  ruined  plight. 
Where  is  that  valor  which  at  Jena  steeled 
Her  mighty  arms,  and  burned  with  mad  delight 
In  hell  of  strife,  and  shattered  Prussia's  shield  ? 
Hear  France  lamenting  o'er  Sedan's  besprinkled  field. 

CLXVIII. 
SEDAN. 

The  morning  sun  rose  clear  and  bright, 
Which  roused  these  legions  with  its  light ; 
All  gay  with  life,  with  vigor  warm, 
As  in  long  glittering  lines  they  form, 
At  evening,  when  its  ghastly  rays 
Are  struggling  through  the  battle's  haze, 
They  fall  on  heaps  of  slaughtered  men, 
Which  strew  for  miles  the  bloody  plain. 

Look  o'er  this  field,  this  ghastly  field, 
Where  battle's  thunders  lately  pealed  ; 
How  torn  and  bloody !  heaped  and  crushed  ! 
Where  charging  squadrons  o'er  it  rushed  ; 


BEFORETHE    DAWN.  197 

See  wreck  and  ruin,  blood  and  death  ! 

And  tell  me,  now,  if  glory's  wreath, 
And  glory's  praise,  which  is  but  breath, 

Repay  the  ills  which  wars  bequeath 

Where  is  the  soldier's  martial  fire 

Which  burned  upon  his  cheeks  at  morn  ? 
Where  is  ambition's  costly  hire, 

Which  nerved  his  arm  in  fight  upborne  ? 
The  fire  is  quenched  upon  his  cheeks, 

And  glory's  wreath  is  rudely  torn, — 
His  praises  are  the  orphan's  shrieks, 

His  deeds  a  million  widows  mourn. 

CLXIX. 

Ah  !  France,  how  fearful  is  thy  bitter  cup  ! 
Pressed  to  thy  pale  and  bloody,  quivering  lips, 
It  burns  thy  soul,  yet  thou  must  drink  it  up, 
Though  from  its  brimming  fullness  madness  drips, 
And  thou  must  sit  in  dust,  on  ghastly  heaps 
Of  ruin.     Child  of  mighty  Babylon, 
How  art  thou  fall'n  into  profoundest  deeps 
Of  rage  and  woe  ;  torn  from  thy  brows  thy  crown, 
And  shattered,  tottering,  fallen,  thine  imperial  throne. 

CLXX. 

Peace  comes ;  the  German  hosts  from  thee  retire, 
Proud  Paris.     Ah  !  now  what  do  we  behold  ?  65 
Thy  boulevards  flame  with  revolution's  fire, 
Fraternal  blood  bestains  thee  as  of  old  ; 


198  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Thy  royal  halls  to  mad  sedition  sold  ; 
And  there  in  revels  bloody  riot  runs. 
Where  is  the  man  unscrupulous  and  bold, 
To  wake  to  glory  once  again  thy  sons  ? 
Better  than  this  the  reign  of  thy  Napoleons. 

CLXXI. 

Sad  nation,  to  be  free  thy  heart  aspires, 
But  thou  canst  not  the  blessed  boon  preserve ; 
Thou  hast  forgotten  God,  and  burn'st  with  fires 
Of  lust,  which  rob  thee  of  all  manly  nerve. 
Forsake  thy  crimes,  if  thou  wouldst  freedom  serve  ; 
Give  to  thy  land  an  open  Bible's  pages, 
Nor  dare  again  from  God's  great  law  to  swerve ; 
Give  to  thy  sons  the  wisdom  of  past  ages, 
Restrain   thy  daughters   from    those   ways  which   lust 
enrages. 

CLXXII. 

Corrupt  them  not  with  thine  abominations, 
Nor  sell  them  for  the  harlot's  hire  of  sin  ; — 
And  to  avoid  these  awful  visitations, 
At  once  this  reformation's  work  begin  ; 
Till  then  shalt  thou  be  torn  without,  within, 
For  God  a  controversy  hath  with  thee 
For  thine  enormous  crimes,  and  skin  for  skin 
He  will  require.     Ah  !  dread  calamity 
Shall  come  on  thee  in  protean  forms,  by  land  and  sea. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  199 

CLXXIII. 

A  changeless  God  hath  said  he  will,  in  wrath, 
Turn  nations  that  forget  him  into  hell  •— 
Trace  thou,  in  retrospect,  the  gloomy  path 
Of  wicked  cities  down  to  hades,  and  tell 
If  his  vindictive  fury  never  fell 
Upon  offenders.     Ah  !  as  sure  as  he 
Sits  on  his  throne  and  wields  his  scepter  well, 
Unless  thou  dost  repent,  he'll  visit  thee 
With  dire  destruction  — this  thine  end  shall  be. 

CLXXIV. 

Wait  not  till  other  vials  are  outpoured, 
Wait  not  till  other  woes  upon  thee  fall, 
Avoid  the  plagues  which  for  thee  have  been  stored, 
Rise  from  thy  gory  bed,  to  heaven  call, 
And  God  in  mercy  will  again  install 
Thee  in  thy  former  glory,  purified 
From  thy  deep  stains  of  guilt,  and  disenthrall 
Thee  from  oppression's  power,  by  which  have  died 
iliy  sons  by  millions,  midst  destructions  wide. 

CLXXV. 

Ah  !  France,  we  do  remember,  in  our  night 

Of  trial,  in  "  those  times  that  tried  men's  souls," 

When  proud  oppression  sought,  with  wicked  might, 

To  bind  our  limbs,  enforce  her  greedy  tolls, 

And  of  protection  grant  us  scanty  doles ; 

Thy  heart  for  us  beat  warmly  in  thy  breast, 


200  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Thy  gallant  soldiers  swelled  our  army  roi 
Thy  La  Fayette,  in  memory  ever  blessed, 
Stood  by  our  Washington,  and  our  deep  wrongs  redressed. 

CLXXVI. 

The  Tree  of  Liberty,  which  now  o'erspreads 
Our  happy  land,  was  watered  by  the  blood 
Of  thy  brave  sons  who  bowed  in  death  their  heads, 
And,  but  for  them,  oppression,  like  a  flood, 
Might  us  have  overwhelmed,  and  spawned  its  brood 
O'er  all  this  western  world.     To  thee  we  owe, 
For  this,  a  debt  of  lasting  gratitude. 
We  wish  thee  well,  and  pray  that  thou  mayst  know, 
Ere  long,  the  blessings  which  to  true  Republics  flow. 

CLXXVII. 

Great  city,  on  the  seven  mountains  throned, 
The  storm  that  deluged  France  hath  shaken  thee ; 
Thou  hast  not  yet  for  all  thy  sins  atoned, 
Though  flowing  blood  hath  reddened  land  and  sea, 
And  plagues- have  filled  thy  realms  with  misery  ; 
From  thee  not  passed  the  darkness  and  the  pain, 
Though  fiom  thy  woes  thy  Pope  was  forced  to  flee 
Thrice,  while  thy  streets  were  heaped  with  many 

slain, 
And  gathering  armies  choked  thy  desolate  Champaigne. 

CLXXVIII. 

And  Italy,  the  blow  which  prostrates  France 
Doth  weld  anew  the  scepter  of  thy  king, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  .20 1 

Unbolt  those  heavy  gates  and  bid  advance 
His  hosts,  and  over  Rome  his  banners  fling, 
And  make  her  domes  with  Freedom's  paeons  ring  ; — 
Doth  make  for  aye  the  Eternal  City  thine, 
The  bread  of  life  unto  her  children  bring, 
The  light  from  heaven  upon  her  darkness  shine, — • 
Shine  from  THE  OPEN  BOOK,  all  glorious,  all  benign. 

CLXXIX. 

Victor  Emmanuel,  all  hail ! 
Thy  name,  a  happy  omen  to  the  world, 
Means — "  God  with  us,"  before  whom  despots  quail, 
And  foes  to  swift  destruction  shall  be  hurled. 
See  that  the  banner  thou  hast  now  unfurled 
Is  never  stained  by  foul  oppression's  hands ; — 
See  that  thy  crown,  with  rarest  gems  impearled, 
Shall  shine  undimmed  o'er  all  thy  sunny  lands ; 
And  millions  shall  uphold  thee  where  thy  throne  now 
stands. 

CLXXX. 

Poor  Pope,  alas  !   we  really  pity  thee, 
Dispelled  of  all  thy  earthly  realms  at  last, — 
Thou  who  hast  claimed  infallibility, 
From  great  pretensions  down  so  quickly  cast. 
But  thou  art  doomed  ;  hear  now  the  trumpet  blast, 
For  fallen,  fallen,  is  great  Babylon  ! 
To  blank  oblivion  thou  art  hasting  fast, 
When  better  days  will  dawn  the  world  upon. 
Thee  fallen,  Christ  shall  sit,  instead,  upon  the  throne. 


203,  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

CLXXXI. 

True,  thou  mayst  call  thy  minions  to  thine  aid, — 
For  millions  yet  before  thee  bow  the  knee, — 
And  thou  mayst  preach  another  great  crusade 
To  bring  revolted  States  aback  to  thee, 
T'  restore  the  glory  of  the  Papal  See. 
But  warning  take,  for  warning  sure  is  given, 
Filled  to  the  brim  thy  cup  of  wrath  shall  be  ; 
Nor  with  new  crimes  inflame  the  wrath  of  heaven. 
Repent,  or  with  more  fires  be  scorched,  more  thunders 
riven. 

CLXXXII. 

But  now  awhile  from  these  dread  tempests  sore, 
Which  did  o'er  Europe's  realms  so  fiercely  rave, 
To  waste  the  dragon  and  cast  down  the  whore, 
We  turn  to  where  thy  floods,  Euphrates,  lave 
The  Orient  shores,  which  God  in  wrath  once  gave 
To  the  false  prophet.     See  what  him  befalls; — 
For  sure,  a  people  God  hath  there  to  save, 
For  whom  he  breaks  the  bondage  that  enthralls 
Those    realms; — he    to    his  work   th'   avenging    angel 
calls. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  203 

CANTO   II. 
THE  FALSE  PROPHET. 


From  Araby,  the  land  of  rocks  and  sands, 
There  flowed  a  wondrous  river  long  ago, 
And,  though  it  had  its  source  in  desert  lands, 
Far  o'er  the  world  its  murmuring  floods  did  flow. 
'Tis  said,  great  prodigies  the  earth  did  show, 
When  from  the  rended  rocks  its  waters  sprung ; — 
She  was  with  earthquakes  shaken  to  and  fro, 
While  clouds  and  darkness  in  her  welkin  hung, 
And  sunk  a  wide-spread  lake  her  yawning  deeps  among. 

II. 

A  heathen  shrine  received  attention,  too, 
Whose  fire,  supposed  divine,  had  ages  burned, 
The  idol  of  that  fire-adoring  crew, 
Who,  in  the  East,  have  true  religion  spurned. 
Its  fire  is  quenched,  its  light  to  darkness  turned, 
And  many  other  portents  shadowed  forth, 
(Though   what    they   were    'tis    bootless    to    have 

learned,) 

That,  in  the  East,  the  West,  the  South,  the  North, 
These  wrangling,  swelling  waters  should   o'erflow  the 

earth. 


204  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

III. 

We  find  its  symbols  in  that  wondrous  book, 
In  which  the  vials  now  outpoured  are  shown  ; 
You'll  find  it  called  Euphrates,  if  you  look — * 
The  greatest  river  to  the  Orient  known. 
Four  mighty  angels,  in  its  bed  bound  down, 
Are  loosed  to  bathe  the  world  in  fire  and  blood  ; 
On  their  fierce  prophet's  head  to  set  the  crown 
Of  Orient  realms;  to  whelm  beneath  its  flood, 
A  third  of  men,  while  scattering  their  fanatic  brood. 


IV. 

Its  small  beginnings  soon  a  flood  become, 
And  whelm  Arabia  beneath  their  tide  ; 
It  breaks  the  bounds  of  its  grim  desert  home, 
O'er  Palestine  its  wrangling  waters  glide, — • 
That  city  trembles  where  our  Saviour  died, — 
And  Carmel  pales  to  hear  their  angry  roar, 

*  And  the  sixth  angel  sounded,  and  I  heard  a  voice  from  the  four  horns  of  the 
golden  altar  which  is  before  God,  saying  to  the  sixth  angel,  which  had  the  trumpet, 
Loose  the  four  angels  which  are  bound  in  the  great  river  Euphrates.  And  the  four 
angels  were  loosed,  which  were  prepared  for  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and  a  month,  and  a 
year,  for  to  slay  the  third  part  of  men.  And  the  number  of  the  army  of  the  horsemen 
were  two  hundred  thousand  thousand  :  and  I  heard  the  number  of  them.  And  thus  I 
saw  the  horses  in  the  vision,  and  them  that  sat  on  them,  having  breast-plates  of  fire, 
and  of  jacinth,  and  brimstone:  and  the  heads  of  the  horses  were  as  the  heads  of 
lions  ;  and  out  of  their  mouths  issued  fire,  and  smoke,  and  brimstone.  By  these  three 
was  the  third  part  of  men  killed,  by  the  fire,  and  by  the  smoke,  and  by  the  brimstone, 
which  issued  out  of  their  mouths.  For  their  power  is  in  their  mouth,  and  in  their 
tails :  for  their  tails  were  like  unto  serpents,  and  had  heads,  and  with  them  they  do 
hurt.  And  the  rest  of  the  men  which  were  not  killed  by  these  plagues  yet  repented 
not  of  the  works  of  their  hands,  that  they  should  not  worship  devils,  and  idols  of 
gold,  and  silver,  and  brass,  and  stone,  and  of  wood :  which  neither  can  see,  nor  hear, 
nor  walk.  Neither  repented  they  of  their  murders,  nor  of  their  sorceries,  nor  of  their 
fornication,  nor  of  their  thefts. — REV.  ix.  13-21. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  2O5 

As,  red  with  blood,  all  bounds  they  override ; 
Across  great  Lebanon  their  legions  pour, 
And  roll  a  sanguine  flood  on  Asia  Minor's  shore. 

v. 

See  what  a  numerous  host  of  armed  men 
Now  tramp  along  in  hostile  war's  array — 
The  Arab,  Turk,  the  savage  Saracen, 
In  armor  rushing  to  the  battle's  fray. 
They,  from  their  turbid  multitude,  display 
The  crescent  of  the  prophet,  flaming  high ; 
True  to  the  flag  that  leads  them  to  the  fray, 
"  Allah  il  Allah,  Allah  hu  !  "  they  cry, 
And  with  the  charge  and  shout  they  rend  the  earth  and 
sky. 

VI. 

Ah !  dread  array,  as  couching  lance  and  spear, 
Two  hundred  thousand  thousand  horsemen  strong, 
Fly  to  the  charge,  to  scatter  death  and  fear, 
Like  whirlwinds,  as  their  squadrons  rush  along. 
SEE  !  SEE  !  their  horses,  maddened  in  the  throng, 
From  their  wide  nostrils  belch  hot  streams  of  fire  ; 
See !  in  their  tails  are  scorpions,  and,  when  stung, 
Their  victims,  falling,  instantly  expire, 
Ground  in  the  gory  dust  by  horse  and  horseman's  ire. 

VII. 

Behold  o'er  Asia  Minor's  hills  and  vales, 
That  torrent  roars  on  its  tempestuous  path, 

^W 

0?  THE 


TIVBESITY 


206  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

And  over  all  opposing  foes  prevails, 
Till  e'en  on  Europe's  shores  it  breaks  in  wrath, 
Resounds  the  Moslem's  shout  in  march  of  death ; 
And,  as  the  tramping  hosts  the  mountains  shake, 
Doomed  men  in  terror  mutely  hold  their  breath. 
At  last,  in  siege,  Byzantine  pillars  quake, 
Though  not  for  long  do  they  the  trembling  city  take. 


VIII. 

But  o'er  Roumelia's  ancient  hills  and  dales, 
And  Macedon,  the  Moslem  army  sweeps ; 
The  snow-white  peaks  of  Pindus  e'en  assails, 
And  takes  them,  then  adown  their  heights  it  leaps ; 
Albania's  realm  o'erruns,  subdues  and  keeps, 
Where  Adria's  waters  break  upon  the  strand, 
Upon  whose  breast  the  tempest  never  sleeps. 
Thermopylae,  wilt  thou  not  guard  that  land  ? 
Not  shield  thy  Greece  from  the  invader's  bloody  hand  ? 


IX. 

Ah  !  no  !  for  at  that  pass  no  Spartans  brave 
Stand  to  resist  the  Moslem's  conquering  might — 
To  drive  him  back,  or  find  a  glorious  grave, 
Preferring  death  to  ignominious  flight. 
Thy   land,    fair   Greece,    must    feel   the    invader's 

blight ; 
In  vain  thy  classic  fields  are  stained  with  gore ; 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  2O/ 

Thy  sun  must  set  in  a  long,  darksome  night ; 

And    Greece,    dear    land,    be    "  living   Greece    no 

more  " — 
Thy  Corinth,  Athens,  Sparta's  glorious  days  are  o'er. 


X. 

But  not  alone  o'er  Eastern  realms  this  flood 
From  Araby  its  wrangling  waters  poured  ; 
But  round  Akaba's  gulf  its  path  of  blood 
Was  marked  ;  its  swelling  torrents  westward  roared, 
Across  that  fatal  sea  where  once  were  stored 
Egyptian  treasures,  buried  in  the  wave — 
A  host  not  smitten  by  the  warrior's  sword  ; 
Where  horse  and  rider  found  a  watery  grave — 
Where  God,  by  mighty  wonders,  did  his  people  save. 

XI. 

So  onward  o'er  those  fertile  lands  redeemed 
By  Nilus  from  the  sands,  their  armies  spread, 
As  locusts  from  the  pit  of  hell  upstreamed, 
Whose   clouds  o'ershadowed   earth  with   darkness 

dread, 

Their  mighty  king,  Abaddon,  at  their  head, 
Devouring  all  where'er  their  swarms  might  stray ; 
Their  flaming  steeds  plunge  into  Nilus'  bed, 
Slake  their  hot  thirst,  shake   from  their  sides   its 

spray, 
Then,  fierce  to  snuff  the  desert  air,  they  haste  away. 


208  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XII. 

Haste  madly  on  o'er  Afric's  lands  afar, 
Along  the  Middle  Sea's  resounding  shore ; 
Old  Carthage  sees,  above,  their  crescent  star, 
While    round    her    walls    the    Moslem    squadrons 

pour, 

Then  westward  rush,  resistless  as  before, 
Until  with  shout  and  fiery  charger's  neigh 
Is  mingled  stern  Atlantic's  stormy  roar, 
And  Afric,  yielded  to  the  prophet's  sway, 
Bids  millions  at  his  feet  their  servile  homage  pay. 

XIII. 

Not  long  on  Afric's  coast  the  deluge  waits, 
But,  glancing  to  the  coasts  of  sunny  Spain, 
Its  fiery  squadrons  leap  Gibraltar's  straits, 
To  flood  that  fated  land  from  sea  to  main. 
Fair  Andalusia,  sweetly  decked  with  plain, 
Hill,  valley,  thou  must  feel  the  Moslem's  tread ; 
O'er  dark  Morena's  peaks  a  hurricane 
Breaks,  and  sweeps  down  to  Gaudiana's  bed, 
Which  cannot  quench   the   fires,  for  still   they  swiftly 
spread. 

XIV. 

Swift  o'er  Toledo's  mountain  barriers  leaps, 
And  down  to  Tagus'  flowery  banks  doth  glide 
The  thundering  avalanche.     Still  it  keeps 
Its  onward  way,  expands  its  burning  tide, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  2OQ 

As  over  hills  and  vales  its  horsemen  ride ; 
It  climbs  the  mountain  heights  of  old  Castile, 
And  in  Duero's  vale  lays  low  the  pride 
Of  Spain,  and  makes  her  vanquished  armies  feel, 
Around  Segovia's  walls,  the  bite  of  Moorish  steel. 


XV. 

Nor  long  its  Arab  chargers  rest  upon 
Iberian  mountains,  stretching  far  away, 
But  rushing  down  on  proud  old  Aragon, 
Round  Saragossa  pours  the  ensanguined  fray ; 
But  Aragon  repels   them  from  their  prey, 
And  plants  upon  her  high  Pyrenian  rocks 
The  cross  whose  glory  never  shall  decay, 
Where  it  shall  never  feel  war's  tempest's  shocks, — 
Where    Moslem    never   shakes   his   spear,    nor    rudely 
mocks. 

XVI. 

But  yet  it  breaks  o'er  Pyrenees  on  France, — 
E'en  up  to  Potiers  it  spreads  its  power, 
Nor  stays  it  in  its  terrible  advance, 
Till  over  half  that  realm  its  tempests  lower. 
But  then  arises  in  the  North  a  shower — 
A  mingled  fire  and  hail  of  venging  wrath  ; 
Rally  a  host  the  nation  to  restore, 
To  cast  destruction  in  the  Moslem's  path, 
To  drive  the  Moors  from  Gaul,  or  lay  them  low  in  death. 


210  ,       BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XVII. 

The  champion,  Martel,  leads  the  avenging  host, 
In  armor  dressed  for  battle's  dreadful  fray ; 
Two  mighty  armies  front  to  front  opposed, 
Like  thunder  clouds,  stand  each  in  dread  array, 
To  test,  in  battle's  awful  brunt,  the  day. 
The  destinies  of  Europe  trembling  stand, 
As  there  those  hostile  hosts  their  ranks  display, 
All  waiting  their  own  leader's  dread  command, 
To  join  in  battle  that  shall  shake  the  solid  land. 

XVin. 

There  are  the  lighter-visaged  sons  of  Spain, 
With  the  Arabian  and  Saracen 
Arrayed,  and  with  the  sable  African  ; 
Full  many  a  pennon  fluttering  there  is  seen, 
Full  many  a  charger  neighs  for  battle,  when 
Around  their  countless  falchions  shall  glance, 
And  send  their  lightning  flashes  o'er  their  van, 
To  light  upon  the  steel-clad  crest  of  France  ; 
Behold  their  feathery  plumes  in  snowy  splendor  dance. 

XIX. 

And  there  o'er  many  a  squadron  of  swift  horse, 
O'er  many  a  phalanx  with  its  countless  spears, 
Full  proud  the  cresent  holds  its  lordly  course, 
And  high  the  battle's  fearful  signal  rears. 
Now  here,  behold  the  Christian  host  appears ! 
Of  heroes  come  from  far,  a  countless  throng, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  211 

The  flower  of  France,  unknown  to  craven  fears, 
Of  Germans  many  mighty  thousands  strong, 
While  other  peoples  swell  their  numerous  tides  along. 

XX. 

Behold  their  stalwart  legions  bravely  stand, 
All  covered  with  the  helmet,  gorge,  and  shield, 
Like  rocks  of  granite,  on  the  stormy  strand, 
Whose  flinty  crests  ne'er  to  the  billows  yield  ; — 
Stand  'cross  the  Moslem's  path  upon  that  field, 
To  stay  his  progress  and  turn  back  his  tides. 
Hark !  HARK !  the  battle  cry,  the  rattling  shield,  — 
Behold,  each  horseman  to  his  charger  strides, 
And  then  in  awful  pause  the  battle  signal  bides. 

XXI. 

"  Allah,  il  Allah  !  Allah  hu  !  "  'tis  given, 
See  how  those  fiery  squadrons  bound  along, 
While  with   their  thundering  hoofs    the    earth    is 

riven  ; 

Now  in  the  air  each  flashing  blade  is  flung, 
Hear,  as  they  dash  the  Christian  hosts  among, 
To  break  their  living  breastwork  clad  with  steel. 
Was  ever  such  tremendous  clamor  rung 
With  arms,  where  men  in  hell  of  battle  reel  ? 
Did  e'er  resisting  hosts  such  dread  concussion  feel  ? 

XXII. 

Oh  heavens  !  see  how  their  blood-stained  falchions 

crash ! 
How  break  on  helm  and  shield  the  lance  and  spear  ! 


212  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

How  blade  on  blade  in  maddened  fury  clash  ! 
Till  all  along  the  field,  afar  and  near, 
In  frightful  heaps,  the  Moslem  slain  appear;— 
Horse,  rider,  all  go  down  in  that  advance, 
Laid  low  in  that  tremendous  hour  of  fear, 
When  Moorish  spear  and  Arab's  balanced  lance 
Are  dashed  and  broken  on  the  ringing  shield  of  France. 

XXIII. 

O  dread  and  fearful  work  of  ruin  dire ! 
It  broke  the  power  of  Islam  on  that  plain  ; 
Like  navies  wrecked  amid  the  tempest's  ire, 
Dashed  on  the  rocks  and  shoals  of  ocean's  main, 
It  left,  alas  !  full  many  myriads  slain  ! 
'Twas  thus  the  glorious  field  of  Tours  was  won, 
The  hammer  struck  and  broke  the  invader's  might, 
And  crushed  beneath  his  weight  Abdalla's  son  ; 
And  then,  when  forced  into  disastrous  flight, 
He  left  ten  thousand  slain  in  internecine  fight. 

XXIV. 

Nor  stops  he  till  beyond  the  snowy  peaks 
Of  Pyrenees  he  comes  to  halt,  and  stands 
Where  stern  and  stormy  winter  rudely  shakes 
His  frosts  for  aye,  to  guard  fair  Gallia's  lands 
With  icy  legions  drive  his  bloody  bands 
Away,  and  give  to  her  a  long  release. 
But  long  their  bearded  legions  shake  their  brands, 
Menacing  Europe,  giving  her  no  peace, 
From  Biscay's  Bay  to  where  the  Danube's  waters  cease. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  213 

XXV. 

Long  centuries,  too,  the  Moslems  hold  the  sway, 
As  rulers  of  the  sunny  lands  of  Spain, 
Until  at  length  the  crescent's  powers  decay; 
The  flood  tiiat  covered  hill,  and  vale,  and  plain, 
Rolls  back  to  Afric's  servile  coast  again, 
And  she  is  freed  from  presence  of  the  Moor. 
And  in  her  time,  Greece  from  the  Moslem's  chain 
Strives  to  be  free ;  the  flames  which  burned  of  yore 
Blaze  from  her  shrines  again  besmeared  with  patriot's 


XXVI. 

Fair  Freedom  flings  her  banners  to  the  breeze, 
Awakes  her  prostrate  sons  to  nobler  life ; 
Into  the  fray,  which  either  kills  or  frees, 
They  rush,  and  bravely  mingle  in  the  strife, 
And  strike  for  altars,  children,  home,  and  wife, 
And  to  redeem  the.  green  graves  of  their  sires, 
Although  their  land  with  many  slain  is  rife  ; 
'Tis  not  in  vain, — she  gains  her  fond  desires, — 
She  smothers  all  her  foes  in  Navarino's  fires. 

XXVII. 

Yet  have  that  river's  waters  overran 
The  Eastern  Continent  from  sea  to  sea. 
It  rules  the  Persian  still.     The  Turkoman, 
The  Afghan,  and  the  roving  Belochee, 
All  serve  the  prophet.     Nor  is  China  free, 
Nor  Hindoostan,  nor  Tartary,  the  wild, 


214  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Nor  any  part  of  Asia,  but  may  see 
The  crescent's  sign  ;  and  Afric  is  beguiled 
Amid   her  desert  wastes,  and  where  sweet  vales  have 
smiled. 

XXVIII. 

This  is  the  spreading  river  that  was  named 
Euphrates  by  that  dreaming  prophet  old,  3 
And  widely  has  its  wondrous  power  been  famed  ; — 
But  now  its  end  comes,  as  by  him  foretold, 
The  avenging  angel  in  his  flight,  behold ! 
From  heaven  stoops  o'er  the  oriental  land  ; 
See,  o'er  its  waters  dark  his  wings  unfold, 
On  them  he  pours  the  vial  in  his  hand, — 
Not  long  can  they  its  potent  influence  withstand. 

XXIX. 

Ah !  high  indeed  its  waters,  midst  the  shout 
Of  nations,  and  with  seas  of  blood,  had  rolled, 
And  spread  before  the  crescent  death  and  rout, 
And  on  its  course  for  long  did  hold  — 
But  now  its  waning  floods  of  power  are  knolled, 
Its  deep-worn  channels  soon  shall  be  left  dry, 
O'er  which  the  orient  kings  from  empires  old 
Shall  come  to  offer  gifts  to  the  Most  High, — 
To  Zion's  King  descending  from  the  bending  sky. 


It  may  be  in  this  wise  the  work  was  done: — 
The  Church,  who  found  herself  a  Western  home, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  215 

Where  she  to  Christ  had  many  millions  won, 
Changed  a  wild  desert  into  vernal  bloom, 
Called  out  a  world  of  light  from  night  and  gloom, 
Won  for  mankind  a  great  and  glorious'crown, 
Unfurled  the  flag  of  Freedom  o'er  the  tomb 
Of  slavery,  and  the  despot's  throne  cast  down, 
And  made  his  minions  in  perdition's  waves  to  drown ; — 

XXXI. 

Had  sent  from  thence  a  faithful  praying  band, — 
The  choicest  gems  of  Jesus'  earthly  crown,— 
To  preach  the  Word  in  that  afflicted  land, 
Where  Moslems  ruled  ; — entreat  them  to  cast  down 
Their  idols ; — they  whose  fathers  once  did  own 
The  sway  of  Jesus  ; — to  their  ancient  faith 
To  win  them  back ; — and  wide  the  seed  was  sown. 
By  the  dear  cross  of  Jesus,  millions  found  their  path 
Back  to  the   light   of  heaven,  from   darkness  grim   as 
death. 

XXXII. 

This  roused  the  Moslem's  wild  fanatic  ire  ; — 
He  grasped  stern  persecution's  bloody  scourge, 
To  plunge  the  Church  again  in  seas  of  fire. 
He  by  such  means,  of  old,  was  wont  to  urge 
His  faith  upon  mankind,  or  in  the  gurge 
Of  tribulation  drown  them.     So,  with  rack 
And  torture,  bastinado,  fire,  would  purge 
His  realms.     Of  all  such  means  there  was  no  lack, 
So  o'er  the  Church  he  rolled  a  tempest  wild  and  black. 


2l6  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XXXIII. 

Famine  and  thirst  to  them  were  not  unknown ; 
To  the  cross  and  stake  and  gibbet  they  were  led 
Helpless: — Again  to  wild  beasts  they  were  thrown. 
Ten  thousand  victims  for  religion  bled. 
The  air  was  filled  with  lamentations  dread 
Of  those  who  cruel  murder  had  survived, 
And  loathsome  prisons  echoed  to  the  tread 
Of  those  who  rack  and  torture  had  outlived 
A  myriad  widows  for  their  murdered  husbands  grieved. 

xxxiv. 

Long  was  the  suffering,  dire  the  murderous  work 
Of  slaughter  over  all  that  bloody  land, 
Where  Moslem  zeal  fanatic  urged  each  Turk, 
To  stain  with  Christian  blood  his  hostile  hand  ; 
Till,  longer,  vengeance  could  not  idle  stand  ; 
For  loud  and  wide  the  cry  to  heaven  was  raised  ; 
Came  from  the  eternal  throne  the  high  command, 
And  the  avenging  angel,  irate,  seized 
The  sword,  to  smite  the  foes  whose  deeds  the  world 
amazed. 

xxxv. 

And  now  is  heard  in  dreadful  murmurings  loud, 

The  gathering,  hostile  armies  from  afar, 

As  dread  avengers,  come  a  countless  crowd, 

To  wage  upon  these  bloody  men  a  war 

That  shall  of  vengeance  give  them  their  full  share. 

Ah,  yes,  dire  persecutors,  ye  shall  feel, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  2I/ 

Amid  alarums,  that  the  stoutest  scare, 
The  stroke  tremendous  of  His  biting  steel 
Who,  as  Avenger,  doth  His  mighty  hand  reveal. 

xxxvi. 

Lo !  in  the  north  is  roused  the  growling  bear, 
Who  leads  his  countless  marshaled  warriors  down  : 
The  roaring  lion,  too,  would  have  a  share 
In  fight,  and  hastens  there,  from  Albion. 
Flung  to  the  breeze  her  flaming  gonfalon, 
She  leads  to  battle  many  thousand  strong. 
And  from  his  eyrie,  when  the  clarion 
Resounds,  the  eagle's  cry  sounds  clear  and  long, 
And  o'er  Atlantic's  wave  he  leads  a  numerous  throng. 

XXXVII. 

See  how  the  starry  banner  flutters  there, 
O'er  brave  hearts  beating  for  the  world's  oppressed ; 
Where  tempests  darken  in  the  murky  air, 
With  strife,  where  many  wrongs  shall  be  redressed, 
And  righteous  war  shall  succor  the  distressed. 
They  ready  are,  when  battle-cry  is  given, 
Upon  those  tyrants'  heads  who  long  transgressed, 
To  launch,  as  from  the  stormy  cope  of  heaven, 
Hot  thunderbolts  of  wrath  with  which  the  world  is  riven. 

XXXVIII. 

Staunch  Germany,  and  thou  poor  La  Belle  France, 
Who  once  stood  breast  to  breast  before  the  Moor, 
10 


2l8  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

While  lightnings  from  your  burnished   helms  did 

glance, 

And  bolts  of  war  upon  the  field  of  Tours, 
Say  where  will  ye  be  ranged,  where  will  ye  pour 
Your  battle  hail,  in  that  dread  carnival  ? 
What  standard  follow,  till  the  fight  is  o'er  ? 
But  wheresoe'er  your  martial  bugles  call, 
Millions  are  there  who  low  before  the  prophet  fall. 

XXXIX. 

Ah !  yes,  the  prophet  has  a  strange  array : 
There  the  old  dragon,  stained  with  martyrs'  gore, 
Stands  ready  for  the  battle's  fearful  fray, 
No  thirst  for  blood  has  lost  since  days  of  yore  ;- 
Rush  his  red  hosts  along  the  Black  Sea's  shore. 
And  there  among  the  tyrant  cringing  herd, 
The  Moslem  marches  in  the  van  once  more,  — 
For  him  the  Persian,  Arab,  Turk,  and  Koord 
Have  couched  again  the  lance  and  spear  and  drawn  the 
sv/ord. 

XL. 

Look  there !  the  scarlet  flag  of  Papal  Rome, 
Is  waving  too  o'er  many  a  supple  slave. 
She  must  obey  her  instincts  and  must  come 
To  fight  against  the  right,  and  find  a  grave 
For  myriads.     Anti-Christ,  he  who  did  rave 
Amid  the  darkness,  when  himself  proclaimed 
Himself  as  high  as  God  though  but  a  knave. 
And  worse  than  ever  is  religion  shamed 
By  him,  among  that  host  where  heathen  gods  are  named. 


BE  FORE    THE    DAWN.  2 19 

XLI. 

Yet  'tis  a  meet  alliance  tripartite, 
The  dragon's  minions  and  the  scarlet  beast, 
With  the  false  prophet,  all  the  sons  of  night, 
Who  crowd  by  millions  from  the  swarming  East, 
While  from  the  West  with  many  a  host  increased. 
Behold  them  there  within  their  crowded  camp, 
They  marshal  many  myriads  at  least, 
And  earth  doth  tremble  midst  their  mighty  tramp, 
While  furious  horse  for  fight  their  iron  bridles  champ. 

XLII. 

Behold  the  Lord's  avengers  near  and  far, 
Their  heavy  columns  stretching  deep  and  wide, 
Swarm  to  thy  fearful  work,  avenging  war, 
Across  the  Bosphorus  an  endless  tide. 
Their  myriad  banners  float  aloft  in  pride, 
Unfolding  now  the  red,  white,  blue  and  gold, 
And  gleam  like  rainbows  waving  side  by  side. 
Their  countless  guns  and  bayonets  behold  ! 
Earth   trembles    as    their   rattling   wheels    are   onward 
rolled. 

XLIII. 

Ah  !  me  !  what  tumult  dread  of  warlike  sounds 
Burst  forth  from  yon  advancing  thunder-cloud, 
And  bode  destruction,  death  or  fearful  wounds ! 
Hear  now  the  tempest's  mutterings  deep  and  loud, 
As  horsemen  gather  there,  a  countless  crowd, 
And  on  the  dreadful  flanks  of  battle  form. 


220  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Now  pause  awhile,  survey  those  armies  proud, 
Ere  wakes  the  fury  of  the  coming  storm, 
And  those  bright  blades  are  dimmed  with  gore  all  wet 
and  warm. 

XLIV. 

Ah !  think  what  great  decisions  hang  in  poise 

Upon  the  issues  of  this  dreadful  day. 

There  bigotry  its  enginery  employs 

To  take  the  heaven-born  rights  of  men  away, 

The  despot's  tottering  throne  from  wrack  to  stay, 

Though    built    on    slavery's    sighs    and    tears   and 

groans ; 

For  where  is  Pagan's,  Pope's  or  Moslem's  sway, 
There  may  be  heard  its  victims'  bitter  moans, 
Nor  aught  else  would  it  hear  o'er  earth's  encircling  zones. 

XLV. 

Ah  !  'tis  a  precious  right  to  wield  the  scourge, 
To  lay  its  gory  thongs  upon  man's  back, 
For  bigot  superstition  grim  to  urge 
Midst  torture,  stake  and  wheel,  and  breaking  rack, 
Or,  with  the  battle,  flaming  siege  and  sack, 
Her  claims  on  men,  denying  heaven  to  all 
Who  will  not  serve  the  prophet's  lustful  pack, 
Or  vilely  cringe  beneath  the  Papal  thrall, 
Or  on  the  name  of  Boodh  and  Brahma  humbly  call. 

XLV  I. 

Pressed  by  the  avengers'  gathering  power,  they  know 
That  the  decisive  hour  has  come  at  last, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  221 

To  test  their  rights  and  to  the  nations  show, 
If  they  may  still  the  chain  and  fetter  cast 
On  half  the  world,  and  all  its  beauty  blast ; — 
If  they  may  tread  upon  the  necks  of  slaves 
Who  pronely  lie  beneath  their  feet  aghast, 
Or  on  brave  fallen  freemen's  bloody  graves, 
Whose  fervor  drowns  in  blood  or  else  its  country  saves  ; — 

XLVII. 

Or  if  they  shall  in  the  dread  conflict  fall, 

Their  scepters  broken,  from  their  temples  torn 

Their  ancient  crowns,  destroyed  for  aye  their  thrall, 

Their  purple  robes  and  royal  thrones  forsworn, — 

All  ruined,  hopeless,  to  destruction  borne. 

Say,  shall  a  hundred  million  own  the  power 

Of  Islam  ?     Over  half  the  world  forlorn 

Shall  Boodh  and  Brahma  reign  ?    Shall  millions 

more 
Beneath  the  Papal  thunders  shrink  and  vilely  cower? 

XLVIII. 

So,  too,  with  the  avenger's  gathering  host, 

If  they  are  overthrown  in  that  dread  fight, 

Freedom  of  body,  soul  and  all  is  lost. 

Crushed    then    shall    be    the    cause    of   truth    and 

right, 

Sink  down  the  earth  in  slavery's  gloomy  night, 
Eclipsed  in  darkness  be  the  sun  of  heaven. 
Shall  all  men's  choicest  blessings  take  their  flight  ? 
Shall  all  that  science,  all  that  art  have  given, 
Be  blotted  out  when  with  this  storm  the  earth  is  riven  ? 


222  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XLIX. 

Shall  Freedom,  fighting  in  the  stormy  van, 
Lie  prostrate  when  this  frightful  fray  shall  end  ? 
Or  shall  her  banners,  in  behalf  of  man, 
The  skies  of  every  continent  ascend, 
And  their  bright  flames  with  starry  splendors  blend  ? 
O,  shall  that  glorious  flag  arise  on  high, 
To  which  the  azure  skies  their  tints  did  lend, 
In  sign  of  peace  to  friends  afar  and  nigh, 
Its  red,  of  war  to  foes,  where'er  its  splendors  fly  ? 


Hark !  hark !  the  battle's  fearful  signal's  given, 
Loud  sounds  its  echoes  to  the  cope  on  high. 
Then  break  its  flames  with  fearful  flash  forth  driven, 
Full  wide  its  screaming  missiles  crash  and  fly, 
While  its  black  smoke  blots  sunlight  from  the   sky. 
There  cannons  roar  and  muskets  harshly  bray, 
There  whiz  and  screech  of  ball  and  shell,  and  cry 
Of  death  create  a  hell  in  sulphur  spray, 
Whose  fires  and  furies  fierce  are  gorged  amidst  the  fray. 

LI. 

They  glut  the  grave  with  food  unmeasured,  hark  ! 
See  there !  beneath  the  cope  of  battle  rack, 
Which  makes  the  brightest  noonday  splendors  dark, 
The  murmuring  horsemen  form  for  the  attack. 
They're  falling  into  lines,  dense,  deep  and  black, 
See  how  above  their  heads  their  sabres  flash, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  223 

Like  lightnings  o'er  the  tempest's  fearful  track, 
Prepared,  like  a  wild  whirlwind's  rush  and  crash, 
In  the  dread  melee  on  the  allied  camp  to  dash. 

LI  I. 

Ye  supple  followers  of  Abdallah's  son, 
Ye  cringing  minions  of  the  scarlet  whore, 
Ye  votaries  to  the  dragon's  bloody  throne, 
Prepare  to  fight  as  ye  have  ne'er  before. 
Behold  yon  avalanche  with  thunder's  roar 
In  mighty  squadrons  rushing  to  the  fray 
With  sounding  hoof,  earth  shakes  as  on  they  pour, 
And  as  they  near  their  grim  expectant  prey, 
The  shout  of  nations  rises  from  their  dread  array. 

LIII. 

Ah,  me!  what  fearful  work  the  foemen  make, 
As  on  the  Moslem  ranks  the  squadrons  dash ! 
Ah  !  how  the  hills  in  the  concussion  quake, 
As    through    their  steel-clad  hosts  the  whirlwinds 

crash  ; 

Ah !  myriads  fall  beneath  the  sabres'  gash. 
In  vain  the  Moslem's  volleyed  thunder  flies, 
Amid  the  racking  cannon's  frightful  flash, — 
In  vain  they  drape  with  clouds  the  reeling  skies, — 
In  vain  the  furious  soldier  falls  and  bleeds  and  dies ; — 

LIV. 

In  vain  their  hungry  falchions  blush  with  blood, — 
In  vain  to  Allah  lift  their  helpless  prayers ; 


224  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Ten  myriads  fall  beneath  their  sweeping  flood, 
All  wounded,  bleeding,  groaning,  dying  there. 
Dread  panic  now  doth  all  their  minions  scare, 
Disastrous  rout  spreads  all  their  ranks  among ; 
They  fly  in  great  confusion  everywhere 
Before  the  tempest  which  their  hosts  o'erhung, — 
Dropped  down  their  nerveless  arms,  aside  their  falchions 
flung. 

LV. 

See  how  in  hot  pursuit  relentless  War 
Hurls  his  huge  hosts  upon  the  flying  foe ; 
See  how  they  fall  by  myriads,  near  and  far, — 
'Tis  thus  the  power  of  Islam  is  laid  low, 
Thus  proud  Euphrates'  floods,  which  did  o'erflow 
The  world,  were  dried  in  War's  dread  battle  flame. 
God's  martyrs  were  avenged  in  this  fell  blow, — 
Dissolved  the  spell  of  the  false  prophet's  name, 
Sunk  'neath  the  vial's  wrath  in  death,  defeat  and  shame. 


LVI. 

Now,  for  a  season,  there  is  peace  and  rest, 
The  gory  sword  of  persecution  broke  ; 
Rejoice,  the  friends  of  God,  in  East  and  West, 
Foes  crushed  beneath  his  arm's  avenging  stroke, 
And  broken  now  the  tyrant's  heavy  yoke. 
Afar  the  banner  of  the  cross  unfurled, 
No  conquests  can  its  enemies  provoke 
To  blood,  and  liberty  o'er  all  the  world 
To  worship  God,  where'er  Euphrates'  waves  have  swirled. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  225 

LVII. 

And  so  the  tale  is  told  in  many  a  land, 
And  Christ  proclaimed  the  Saviour  of  the  race, 
Till  millions  own  the  scepter  of  his  hand  ; — 
Till  West,  East,  South,  and  North,  in  his  free  grace 
Rejoicing  stand  before  his  smiling  face, 
And  sound  their  glorious  anthems  in  full  flood, 
As  one  united  Church,  in  every  place, 
And  tell  their  triumphs  in  a  Saviour's  blood, — 
That  fountain  opened  where  his  cross  of  anguish  stood. 

LVIII. 

Sweet,  O  how  sweet  the  gospel  work !  to  bring 
The  ransomed  captives  back  to  Zion's  hill, 
And  see  them  bow  adoring  to  their  king ! 
Sweet,  too,  their  hungry  souls  with  bread  to  fill ! 
Ah  !  how  their  victor  songs  our  bosoms  thrill, 
As  millions,  bought  by  Jesus'  fearful  death, 
Repentant  turn  to  God  ;  and  angels  trill 
Their  harps,  and  every  creature  that  hath  breath 
Sing  their  loud   psalms   in   heaven,  and   on  the  earth 
beneath. 

LIX. 

For  many  years  the  precious  work  goes  on, 
While  Christian  nations,  locked  in  bonds  of  peace, 
Shout  their  hosannas  o'er  the  triumphs  won. 
Fair  Zion  rises  bright,  her  beams  increase 
So  much,  and  wars  and  tumults  so  much  cease, 
That  men  expectant  now  begin  to  say — 
10* 


226  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

"  The  time  foreshadowed  for  the  world's  release 
Has  come,  the  light  of  the  millennial  day 
Bursts  o'er  the  hills,  to  chase  the  shades  of  night  away  " 

LX. 

But  yet  the  groaning  world  through  blood  and  tears 

Must  wade,  be  shaken  still  by  conflicts  sore, — 

Perhaps  for  many,  many  weary  years, 

Before  her  Christ  shall  reign  from  shore  to  shore. 

Those  powers  of  evil  which  the  hosts  o'erbore 

Still  live,  though  crushed  beneath  the  mighty  tread 

Of  God's  great  chariot,  in  the  din  and  roar 

Of  war,  wrenched  from  their  hands  the  sword,  and 

dead 

Their  warring  hosts,  all  hushed  their  shouts  and  clamors 
dread. 

LXI. 

Yet  other  weapons  they  will  surely  find 
To  work  sad  mischief  on  the  Church  of  God  ; 
With  other  evil  powers  they  will  be  joined, 
By  which  to  seize  again  the  iron  rod 
Of  empire,  and,  beneath  their  potent  nod, 
To  bind  the  world  again  in  heavy  chains. 
On  this  vile  work  three  unclean  spirits  plod,  4 
Vile  frogs,  to  curse  the  world  with  bitter  banes, 
On  each  bright  spot  of  earth  to  leave  their  filthy  stains. 

LXI  I. 

Forth  from  the  mouth  of  dragon,  and  the  beast, 
And  the  false  prophet,  these  three  spirits  came, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  22/ 

Like  others  from  the  pit  of  hell  released  ; 
They  call  themselves  by  some  pretentious  name, 
And  with  great  words  the  credulous  inflame, 
While  with  their  lying  wonders  they  deceive 
The  kings  and  nations,  and  their  homage  claim, 
Who  might  their  lying  miracles  believe, 
To  lead  them  forth  to  war,  their  losses  to  retrieve. 

LXIII. 

Philosophy,  so-called,  essayed  to  teach  s 
That  revelation  cannot,  never  comes 
From  Heaven.     That,  what  the  reason  cannot  reach, 
Cannot  be  truth  ;  that  man,  where'er  he  roams, 
Must  trust  to  nature's  light ;  no  other  speech 
Revealeth  God,  whatever  man  may  teach 
From  sacred  books.     He  framed  eternal  law, 
And  should  he  turn  from  that  it  would  impeach 
His  government,  and  cause  a  fatal  flaw 
In  his  unchangeability,  and  ruin  draw 

LXIV. 

Upon  the  world.     No  miracle  can  be, 
Nor  change  from  law.     All  forms  of  prayer  are  vain, 
For  even  God  himself  cannot  be  free 
From  law.     Man  may  not  ask  for  sun,  or  rain, 
Or  any  thing.     Law  must  its  rule  maintain 
Unchangingly.     If  it  will  rain,  it  must. 
If  not,  then  drouth  must  parch  hill,  vale  and  plain. 
And  so  the  law  must  rule  though  God  be  thrust 
Out  of  His  world,  with  naught  for  us  but  law  to  trust. 


228  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

LXV. 

Thus  when  the  law  is  throned  in  place  of  God, 
And   prayer,   the  Christian's  bulwark,    brought  to 

naught, 

Soon  falls  his  heavenly  hope  'neath  Satan's  nod ; 
For  whosoever  harbors  such  a  thought, 
Denies  God's  Providence,  and  is  soon  brought 
To  cast  aside  his  word.     Keep  men  from  prayer, 
From  that  dear  mercy-seat  which  they  once  sought, 
And  Satan  soon  can  lead  them  anywhere. 
This  was  one  form  of  unbelief  which  drew  its  share 

LXV  I. 

Of  blind  adherents.     Since  they  could  not  rule 
By  force,  these  unclean  devils  sought  to  sneer 
The  light  of  heaven  from  earth  ;  none  but  a  fool 
Would  hold  a  faith  so  built  on  craven  fear, 
They  said, — that  Christ  would  yet  again  appear 
To  save  them,  since  his  flesh  had  been  consumed 
Two  thousand  years.     How  could  he  uprear 
The  judgment  throne  ?  Could  he,  so  long  entombed, 
Call  forth  his  sleeping  saints  for  ages  now  inhumed  ? 

LXVII. 

Where  of  his  coming  could  they  find  a  pledge  ? 
For  since  their  martyred  fathers  fell  asleep, 
All  things  the  same  continue,  they  allege, 
And  as  of  old  their  customed  courses  keep. 
Seed  time  and  harvest  come  and  go  ;  men  reap, 
From  year  to  year,  the  fields  they  till  and  sow. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  229 

That  God  will  e'er  the  world  to  ruin  sweep, 
Nor  earth  nor  heaven  one  portent  symptom  show ; 
Yea  naught  can  shake  the  firm  foundations  here  below. 

LXVIII. 

These  frogs  bred  lusts  in  the  hearts    of    millions 

more — 

To  eat,  to  drink,  to  reek  and  roll  in  wine,  6 
The  lowest  forms  of  license  to  explore, 
And  unto  sin  and  shame  their  souls  resign, — 
To  whatsoe'er  men's  wicked  hearts  incline, 
Without  one  honest  blush  to  hide  their  shame. 
Old  Sodom  did  no  more.     "  It  shall  be  mine," 
The  young  man  said,  "  though  blackened  be  my 

name, 
To  live  in  all  the  pleasures  that  my  lusts  inflame." 

LXIX. 

No  matter  if  he  lived  to  others'  cost, 
And  at  the  fearful  risk  of  losing  heaven  ; 
Yea,  though  all  hope  of  heaven  to  him  were  lost, 
And  all  those  soaring  powers  to  mortals  given  ; 
Yea,  not  the  fear  of  hell,  with  thunders  riven, 
Could  from  his  course  his  wandering  feet  restrain, 
Though  for  him  many  mother's  prayers  had  striven. 
All  these  to  rescue  him  had  been  in  vain. 
His  short  life  wasted,  sinks  his  soul  to  endless  pain. 

LXX. 

Yea,  many  bent  on  sin  insanely  swore 
There  was  no  living  God,  no  heaven,  no  hell, 


230  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

But  this  short,  fitful  life,  and  nothing  more, — 
Why  should  they  not  enjoy  its  pleasures  well? 
Since  of  a  sphere  beyond  no  one  could  tell, 
And  earthly  good  to  them  and  theirs  was  all 
They  had,  why  not  submit  to  pleasure's  spell  ? 
Short  was  their  gospel,  startling  was  its  call, 
"  Enjoy  yourself,  to-morrow  die,  forgotten  fall." 

LXXI. 

0 

• 

Thus  grossest  sensualism  obtained  control, 
And  held  unchallenged  an  unrivaled  sway 
O'er  many  a  man,  denying  him  a  soul ; 
Yea,  'twas  obeyed  by  millions  in  that  day. 
So  strong  it  grew  that  it  began  to  lay 
The  people  under  ban,  and  then  compel 
Them  to  deny  the  Lord,  and  turn  away 
From  faith,  neglect  his  word,  the  sabbath  bell, 
And  e'en  the  way  to  Zion,  loved  so  long  and  well. 

LXXIL 

And  Mammon,  too,  regained  a  mighty  power, 
In  that  sad. day,  and  with  the  hope  of  gold, 
He  held  his  sway  o'er  many  myriads  more. 
Yea,  many  million  souls  to  him  were  sold  ; 
It  made  the  miser's  heart  so  hard  and  cold, 
That  he  would  give  no  heed  to  mercy's  call, — 
Would  grasp  the  widow's  mite  but  small  all  told, 
Cause  want  and  sorrow  on  her  house  to  fall, 
Yea,  all  the  weak  he  strove  to  keep  in  penury's  thrall. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  231 

LXXIII. 

He  helped  to  nerve  the  assassin's  bloody  hand, 
When  he  would  seek  in  stealth  his  victim's  bed, 
To  do  a  deed  of  blood,  to  shock  the  land. 
His  love  the  prowling  thief  to  plunder  led, 
To  rob  his  neighbor,  leave  his  houseless  head 
To  feel  the  storm,  his  wife's  and  children's  cry 
Unheeded  hear,  as  they  implored  for  bread. 
And  he  would  build  the  huge  monopoly, 
To  hold  the  rich  man  up,  and  make  the  poor  low  lie. 

LXXIV. 

With  law's  enactments  armed,  he  steeled  the  soul 
Of  heartless  minions,  to  the  devil  sold, 
To  put  the  cursed  and  fiery,  damning  bowl 
Unto  their  neighbors'  lips  for  sordid  gold, 
That  they,  their  feet  enthralled,  might  be  controlled 
By  spirits  lost,  prone  in  the  filth  to  crawl, 
To  drag  to  penury  and  woe  untold 
Those  mothers  and  their  children,  who  should  fall 
From  happy  homes    to    hovels,    where    rum's    demons 
brawl. 

LXXV. 

O  !  if  damnation's  loudest,  direst  knell 
Sounds  in  the  ears  of  any  guilty  man, 
If  there  are  hottest  flames  in  deepest  hell, 
And  hugest  chains  to  hold  his  soul  in  ban, 
They  are  for  him  whate'er  his  tribe  or  clan, 
Who  sells  the  burning  contents  of  the  bowl 


232  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

To  friend  or  neighbor,  say  he  what  he  can 

In  self-defense  :  he  damns  the  life  and  soul 

Of  every  one  who  falls  beneath  the  fiend's  control. 

LXXVI. 

The  power  of  alcohol  was  truly  great ; 
Deep  did  its  widening,  withering  influence  blend 
With  social  life,  and  with  the  powers  of  State, 
With  strength  that   made    the  people  cower  and 

bend 

In  suppliance,  with  which  few  might  dare  contend. 
For  millions  paid  their  homage  at  his  feet, 
And  men,  though  longing  for  his  reign  to  end, 
In  open  conflict  dare  not  with  him  meet, 
His  power  had  grown  so  strong,  his  mastery  so  complete. 

LXXVII. 

'Twas  by  the  liquor  league  defiant,  bold, 
He  seized  the  reins  of  power  and  under  ban, 
Would  lay,  and  in  his  shameless  clutches  hold, 
For  purposes  political,  th'  outspoken  man 
Who  durst  propose  and  advocate  some  plan 
To  rescue  liquor's  victims  from  the  jaws 
Of  frightful  death  ;  with  hands  of  ruffian 
Would  throttle  him,  if  he  durst  plead  their  cause, 
And  seek  to  abate  the  infernal  work  by  wholesome  laws  ; 

LXXVIII. 

Yea,  in  the  dark  would  aim  at  him  the  blow 
Of  the  assassin  ;  would  his  buildings  burn, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  233 

If  he  its  villainy  should  dare  to  show ; 

His  walls  and  fences  e'en  would  overturn, 

And  with  mean  spite  that  common  thieves  would 

spurn, 

Turn  loose  the  hungry  herd  into  his  grain  ; 
Would  gird  his  trees  and  vines,  with  hate  inferne  ; 
With  snares  and  traps  would  seek  his  hurt  and  pain, 
In  every  way  that  craft  Satanic  could  attain. 

LXXIX. 

And  when  in  open  power  it  was  arrayed, 
It  laid  its  hand  on  any  one  who  dared 
To  raise  his  voice  against  the  wretched  trade, 
With  mulct  and  heavy  bonds  and  prisons  scared 
The  timid  ;  all  the  friends  of  temperance  shared 
A  common  portion  of  its  hate  and  wrath. 
But,  if  it  failed  of  suffrage,  it  upreared 
The  flag  of  treason  o'er  its  burning  path, — 
With   fire   and   sword   of   war  would   scatter  hurt  and 
scath, 

LXXX. 

If  it  might  thus  its  baneful  power  retain. 
For  civil  rights  sought  opportunity 
To  send  its  plagues  all  o'er  the  land  and  main. 
It  claimed  unchallenged,  free  immunity 
To  blight  the  life  of  each  community ; 
Its  monstrous  claims  uphold  with  bloody  hand, 
And,  if  it  could,  with  bold  impunity, 
No  law  so  sacred  it  would  not  withstand, 
Which  sought  to  make  its  deathful  traffic  contraband. 


234  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

LXXXI. 

'Twould  skulk  in  secret,  crawl,  and  lie,  and  steal, 
To  thwart  restraining  power  of  government ; 
And  at  such  villain  practices  could  feel 
No  shame,  'twas  so  intently,  fiercely  bent 
On  its  curst  errands,  by  the  devil  sent : 
No  evil  power  had  wrought  such  hurt  before : 
And  thus  by  false  religion  with  it  blent, 
And  lingering  tenets  of  the  scarlet  whore, 
An  evil  power  was  gathering,  unsurpassed  of  yore: 

Lxxxn. 

Lo !  now  these  three  foul  spirits,  at  the  head  ? 
Of  millions,  ranged  in  hostile  league  once  more, 
Again  o'er  Christendom  their  armies  spread, 
To  drown  the  Right  in  seas  of  crimson  gore. 
Since  they  have  felt  the  truth's  great  pressure  sore, 
They  know  that  they  must  win  or  lose  their  sway 
Amid  the  fearful  battle's  din  and  roar, 
And  so  they'll  stake  their  all  in  one  great  fray, 
To  win,  or  dash  the  pillars  of  the  world  away. 

LXXXIII. 

They  gather  now  their  hosts  in  countless  throngs, 
To  the  great  battle  of  Almighty  God,8 
Innumerous  nations,  peoples,  tribes,  and  tongues, 
Where  they  shall  feel  Jehovah's  crushing  rod. 
The  kings  of  earth  send  their  commands  abroad, 
And  call  great  captains  on  the  lists  of  fame 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  235 

By  thousands,  who  the  world  have  overawed, 

And  thus  by  daring  deeds    have  won  a  name  ; 

And  common  hosts  by  millions,  their  hot  zeal  inflame. 

LXXXIV. 

In  their  great  camps  are  royal  robes  and  crowns, 
And  glittering  tinselry  of  grand  array  ; 
And  there  are  many  pontificial  gowns, 
Which  lend  their  presence  there  to  fire  the  fray, 
Amid  their  armies  stretching  far  away. 
Then  revelry  is  heard  within  that  camp, 
And  lustful  passions  have  unbounded  sway, 
All  mingled  with  their  minions'  ceaseless  tramp, 
Or  when  they  rest  at  eve,  or  wake  at  morning's  gray. 

LXXV. 

Hark !  how  their  loud  blasphemous  curses  rise, 
As  madly  boast  they  of  their  mighty  power, 
Defying  God  enthroned  above  the  skies, 
While  counting  all  their  numerous  legions  o'er, 
Swearing  that  now  their  foes  shall  be  no  more  ; 
They  send  defiance  to  the  very  stars, 
And  call  creation's  hosts  from  shore  to  shore, 
To  meet  them  there  upon  the  field  of  Mars, 
And  test  their  rival  powers  amidst  the  battle's  jars. 

LXXXVI. 

To  banish  Right  and  Truth  from  every  land, 
They  wake  again  the  noise  of  civil  strife ; 


236  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

With    martyr   blood   would    stain    the   murderous 

hand, 
Would  hold  at  every  Christian's  throat  the  whetted 

knife, 

And  aim  the  assassin's  blow  at  every  life, 
'  Until  the  seas  with  gore  again  be  blent, — 
Until  the  cry,  amid  the  fearful  strife, 
Rings  up  to  heaven  by  prayer's  strong  groanings 

rent, 
And  to  avenge  the  Right  Jehovah's  hosts  are  sent. 

LXXXVII. 

THE  WICKED  WARNED  AND  THE  FAITHFUL 
CONSOLED. 

Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder  and  fear, 

For  now,  as  avenger,  the  Lord  doth  appear, 

Like  a  thief  in  the  night,*  when  your  legions  are  still, 

In  drunken  sleep  hushed,  in  the  vale,  on  the  hill. 

Ye  have   seen,  when    th£   tempest  was   gathering   its 

power, 

When  its  legions  in  blackness  of  darkness  did  lower, — 
Ye  have  known,   when   the   earthquake   was   ready  to 

shake 
The  nations,  and  merge  their  great  cities'  wreck, 

That  the  silence  of  death,  o'er  the  land  and  the  sea, 
Ruled  the  world,  till  the  powers  of  the  tempest  set  free, 
Should  burst  in  wild  fury  on  hamlet  and  town, 
And  with  thunder  the  clamor  of  myriads  drown ; 

*Rev.  xvi.  15. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  237 

When  death  rides  in  fury  on  earth  and  in  air, 
And  faces  are  pale  with  the  looks  of  despair, 
As  expectant  they  wait    in  the  turmoil  of  wrath, 
Which  scatters  destruction  in  every  path. 

Just  so  shall  Jehovah  of  battles  come  down 

In  silence,  till  ready  to  burst  on  your  lines ; 
Then  your  legions,  as  chaff  in  the  whirlwind  is  blown, 

Shall  be  scattered,  with  death  to  your  bloody  designs. 
Ye  will  not  remember  what  plagues  he  has  poured 
On  the  beast  and  false  prophet,  abhorred  of  the  Lord  ; 
Ye  despise  his  long-suffering,  blaspheme  his  great  name, 
Take  warning,  take  warning,  he'll  whelm  you  in  flame. 

Ye  servants  of  Jesus,  be  faithful  and  true, 

For  behold  !  I  come  quickly  a  Saviour  for  you  ; 

Watch,  watch  and  be  sober,  with  garments  untorn, 

Unstained  by  the  world,  and  in  comeliness  worn, — 

That  you  may  not  in  nakedness  walk  and  proclaim 

To  the  world  what  would  ever  redound  to  your  shame. 

If  coming  he  find  you  in  righteousness  clad, 

With  salvation's  strong  helmet  surrounding  your  head, 

With  truth  as  your  girdle,  with  feet  duly  shod, 

With  the  gospel  of  peace  to  protect  on  the  road, 

And    the    breastplate    of  righteousness,  glittering  and 

bright, 

And  faith's  mighty  shield  over  all  in  the  fight ; 
With  the  means  of  aggression,  the  spirit's  great  sword, 
To  vanquish  your  foes,  e'en  the  Word  of  the  Lord  ; 
With  all  perseverance  and  prayer  to  the  end, 
That  God  will  his  saints  in  the  battle  defend : — 


238  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

If  coming  he  find  you  thus  armed  for  the  fight, 
In  you,  as  his  soldiers,  he'll  take  great  delight ; 
Your  arms,  in  the  conflict,  he'll  clothe  with  his  might, 
With  confusion  the  minions  of  darkness  to  smite ; 
His  shield  he'll  stretch  o'er  you  in  that  fiery  day, 
And  bring  you  in  safety  through  battle's  fierce  fray ; 
While  he  whelms  all  his  foes  in  eternity's  night, 
You  shall  shine  as  his  saints,  clad  in  garments  of  white. 

Yea,  when  he  to  judgment  in  triumph  shall  come, 
With  life's  crown  on  your  heads  he  will  bring  you  safe 

home. 

But  watch  and  be  sober,  Jehovah's  great  day 
Is  coming  with  haste,  and  the  battle  array 
Will  be  set  when  the  beasts  and  the  fowls  of  the  air 

Shall  be  called  by  the  angel  who  stands  in  the  sun 
The  flesh  of  great  captains  and  warriors  to  share 

In  the  supper  of  God  which  will  soon  be  begun. 


LXXXVIII. 

Forth  from  the  throne  a  fearful  mandate  goes, 
For  now  to  Armageddon's  fatal  field 
Jehovah  gathers  all  his  wicked  foes. 
Yes,  yes,  ye  rebels,  ye  must  to  him  yield, 
When  earth  and  hell  in  furious  fires  annealed 
Hurl  their  dread  thunders  in  the  face  of  God, 
And  answering,  heaven's  artillery  shall  be  pealed 
In  greater  fury  from  the  tempest's  cloud, 
And  earth  shall  quake  with  clamor  huge  and  loud. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  239 

LXXXIX. 

Such  issues  on  a  battle  never  hung. 
Shall  be  religion  in  the  world  suppressed  ? 
Shall  fall  the  Saviour's  name  unheard,  unsung? 
Shall  all  the  world  as  cringing  slaves  confessed, 
By  tyrants  be  forever  more  oppressed  ? 
O  say  shall  the  sweet  reign  of  Jesus  cease, 
And  his  dear  Church  be  torn  and  ne'er  have  rest  ? 
Shall  never  come  the  reign  of  joyful  peace  ? 
And  Jesus'  glorious  kingdom  have  no  more  increase  ? 

XC. 

Sweet  name  of  Jesus,  say,  shall  men  not  hear? 
That  name !  than  which  none  other  under  heaven 
Is  given  to  save  the  soul  and  hush  each  fear, — 
That  name  for  which  those  hero  souls  have  striven  ? 
Must  hush  those  praises  which  to  God  are  given, 
That  roll  so  sweetly  down  from  Zion's  hill  ? 
Shall  Satan's  bonds  no  more  from  men  be  riven, 
Saved  souls  with  joy  the  heart  of  Jesus  fill  ? 
Shall  all  the  world  be  doomed  forevermore  to  ill  ? 

XCI. 

Shall  set  the  sun  of  Freedom's  glorious  light, 
Amid  the  gloom  of  endless  night  and  storm  ? 
With  her  shall  end  fair  Science's  reign  so  bright ; 
The  works  and  triumphs  swallowed  by  that  swarm 
Of  foes?     Shall  shrewd  Invention  come  to  harm, 
Who  always  showed  herself  the  friend  of  man  ? 


240  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

She  with  her  scepter's  wondrous,  magic  charm, 
Called  from  their  chambers  subterranean 
The  occult  powers  of  Nature,  man's  great  artisan 

XCII. 

She  bade  her  railroads  gird  the  rotund  world, 
And  made  her  thundering  cars  of  commerce  great 
Along  their  iron  tracks  be  swiftly  whirled, 
To  bind  the  world's  great  peoples  State  to  State. 
She  bade  the  ocean's  billows  boil  irate, 
Beneath  the  glorious  steamer's  wide  recoil ; 
She  did  the  world  with  wire  reticulate, 
To  make  highways  where  heaven's  lightnings  toil 
For  man,  to  be  his  couriers  in  life's  brunt  and  broil. 

XCIII. 

She  wove  his  garments,  sowed  in  spring  his  grain, 
And  reaped  his  fields ;  and  from  the  flinty  rocks 
She    crushed    his   golden    wealth ;    naught    could 

restrain 
Her  work.     With  wondrous  speed   she   made  his 

books. 

To  all  she  lent  her  hand  with  kindly  looks, 
On  every  work  she  set  her  glorious  seal. 
Shall  sadly  perish  all  Art's  beauteous  works  ? 
Shall  all  things  bright  and  sweet  that  bid  men  feel, 
Be  blotted  out  amid  the  tempest's  crash  and  peal  ? 

XCIV. 

The  voice  of  millions  stoutly  answers,  No. 
Wide  let  the  martial  trumpet  send  its  blare, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  24! 

Above  let  right  its  streaming  banners  show, 
Fling  on  the  foe  defiance  near  and  far, 
Arouse  Jehovah's  hosts  and  call  to  war, 
And  fill  his  camp  with  swarms  to  seize  the  prey. 
More  than  before  shall  light  the  battle's  glare, 
More  reel  in  fight  for  God.     Now  comes  the  day 
When  hell  is  balked  in  one  tremendous  conflict's  fray. 

XCV. 

Listen,  O  blood-stained  earth  from  far  and  near, 
Ye  rocks  and  hills,  ye  murmuring  floods  and  air, 
Six  vials,  full  of  wrath  and  trembling  fear, 
Have  on  the  earth  been  poured.     But  stored  with 

care, 

In  heaven,  a  seventh  awaits  its  summons  there. 
Awhile  these  marshaled  armies  wait,  before 
They  test  in  fight  the  fearful  fate  of  war, 
Then  God  the  last  dread  vial  doth  outpour, 
Earth  pales  and  shudders  wild  with  fear  on  every  shore. 

XCVI. 
DEFIANCE  ON  THE  FOE. 

Now,  ye  oppressors  of  truth  and  the  right, 
Howl  your  defiance  on  Jesus  with  might, 
Call  forth  your  legions  to  battle's  fierce  fray, 
Roll  out  your  engines,  tremendous  array, 
Though  strong  your  armies  when  marshaled  for  war, 
The  God  of  battles  is  mightier  far ; 
II 


242  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

You  may  not,  cannot  escape  his  great  hand, 
When  red  with  vengeance  it  shakes  o'er  the  land. 
The  angel  commissioned  the  vial  to  bear,  9 
Pours  out  its  contents  into  the  air; 
Wide  it  diffuses  itself  o'er  the  world, 
Into  commotion  all  nature  is  whirled. 
Hark !  how  the  thunders  fill  earth  and  the  sky, 
Jehovah's  alarums  resound  from  on  high. 

XCVII. 

Above  these  gathered  hosts  a  dismal  noise 
Is  heard,  loud  sounding  from  Jehovah's  throne, 
In  deep,  heart-thrilling  accents ;  a  loud  voice 
Portentous  tells  the  world  "THE  WORK  IS  DONE."10 
Ah  !  yes,  'tis  done,  oppression's  power  is  gone, 
Its  blight  shall  curse  the  sons  of  men  no  more. 
Wrong  shall  be  crushed,  and  right  shall  rule  alone, 
While  light  shall  banish  darkness  nature  o'er, 
And  unbelief,  pride,  lust  shall  fall,  on  every  shore. 

xcvm. 

The  prince  of  evil  cowed  with  hideous  fears, 

Beaten  in  fight  on  many  fearful  fields, 

Shall  clank  his  ponderous  chain  a  thousand  years. 

But  ere  he  to  the  great  Avenger  yields, 

The  direst  war  must  rain  on  upturned  shields 

Hot  bolts,  and  bathe  the  sword  in  blood  yet  more, 

Though   worlds  have   fallen   'neath   the  power  he 

wields. 

Prepare  again  to  see  red  streams  of  gore 
The  mountains,  valleys,  plains  and  streams  bccrimson 

o'er. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  243 

XCIX. 

Now  awful  voices  in  the  air  are  heard,11 
.Surely  portentous  of  some  dreadful  doom, 
Most  fully  ripe  for  wicked  men  prepared, 
While  clouds  and  tempests  lower  in  deepening 

gloom, 

And  fearful  thunders  shake  the  skies,  which  loom 
In  wrath,  and  redden  with  the  lightning's  glare. 
On  comes  the  storm,  its  distant  chariots  boom, 
Men's  hearts  now  fail  with  fear  and  dark  despair, 
The  earth  and  sky  are  thick  with  portents  everywhere. 


Hark!  hark!     Do  ye  not  hear  that  saddening  wail,12 
Raised  by  the  sighing  winds  in  fitful  puffs, 
As  if  tasked  nature's  weary  powers  would  fail  ? 
It  rises ;  dies  again  in  mournful  soughs  : 
The  sea,  uneasy,  heaves  in  waves  and  troughs : 
The  trees  moan  sadly  in  the  dying  wind, 
The  grain  waves  solemn  to  its  soft  rebuffs, 
While  frightened  birds  and  beasts  of  every  kind, 
Fly  madly  here  and  there  with  terror  undefined. 

Cl. 

Dire  apprehension  fills  each  trembling  heart, 
All  cheeks  turn  pale  beneath  the  vaguest  fear ; 
What  may  be  coming  none  can  tell :  they  start 
At  every  sound :  and  signs  to  all  appear, 
That  earth  with  fear  and  trembling,  far  and  near, 
Awe-struck,  awaits  some  dread  award  of  heaven. 


244  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Hark !    hark !    that   dreadful    sound !     Do  ye  not 

hear? '3 

It  jars  beneath,  where  giant  powers  have  striven : 
It   comes  !  with  earthquake's  crash  the  solid  world   is 

riven. 

CII. 

It  heaves  the  ocean  from  its  briny  bed,14 
Rolls  the  great  billows  high  upon  the  land, 
Wrecks  navies,  dashed  by  waves  high  overhead, 
Its  Titan  shocks  the  rocks  cannot  withstand  ; 
It  mocks  the  mightiest  works  of  human  hand- 
Convulsed  is  tortured  nature  everywhere — 
Uplifts  the  valleys,  sinks  the  mountains  grand, 
Engulfs  great  cities  in  its  treacherous  snare, 
The  frightened  world  forebodes  the  end  of  all  things 
near.  js 

CHI. 

Never  before  was  work  so  fearful  known 
Since  the  young  earth  received  her  tenant,  man, — 
When  she  was  into  such  confusion  thrown, — 
No,  never  since  the  reign  of  sin  began. 
Ah  me  !  there  rushed  the  hostile  stormy  van  l6 
Of  armies ;  midst  the  earthquake's  fearful  fray, 
Mad  into  the  red  hell  of  strife  they  ran. 
As  thunder-clouds  bedazed  with  blood-red  spray, 
They  hurl  huge  hosts  together,  ranged  in  wide  array. 

CIV. 

Ah !  there  ten  thousand  cannons  belch  and  crash, 
And  many  million  muskets  harshly  bray, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  245 

While  midst  the  smoke  ten  myriad  sabres  clash 
So  loud  they  cannot  hear  the  earthquake's  fray ; 
And  scarcely  would,  though  earth  should  pass 

away. 

But  God  and  nature  aid  the  powers  of  right, 
They  win  the  field  on  that  decisive  day, 
The  foes  are  broken,  routed,  put  to  flight, 
And  myriads  of  them  slain  by  God's  avenging  might. 

CV. 

And  now  behold  the  fruits  that  war  has  won, 
On  Armageddon's  fearful  field  of  blood  ! 
Ah  !  me,  ah  !  me,  what  fearful  work  is  done  ! 
Where,  with  his  sword  unsheathed,  Jehovah  stood, 
And  drove  his  foes  before  a  fiery  flood. 
There  to  the  blood-stained  harlot  he  hath  given 
A  wound  which  shall  destroy  her  murderous  brood, 
To  rob  none  more  of  the  sweet  light  of  heaven : 
While  with  her  wailings  hell's  dark  pit  is  fiercely  riven. 

CVI. 

For  lo !  while  hills  and  mountains  reel  and  shake 
Beneath  the  earthquake's  fearful  shock  and  roar, 
The  city's  strong  foundations  rock  and  break,z7 
And  fall  in  shattered  wreck,  to  rise  no  more. 
By  fissures  deep,  of  fathoms  many  score, 
Into  three  parts  the  city  hath  been  rent, 
Each  faction  stained  by  internecine  gore, 
Its  armies  but  a  fierce,  mad  rabblement, 
Munitions,  strength,  and  blood  in  mutual  conflict  spent. 


246  BEFORE      THE     DAWN. 

CVII. 

No  more,  as  once,  thou  standst  the  nation  s  dread, 
Proud  city  of  the  hills,18  with  trembling  filled, 
And  never  more  shalt  stand  the  tyrant's  head, 
Bereft  of  might,  with  coward  terror  thrilled, 
The  rushing  of  thy  chariots  now  is  stilled  ; 
And  to  increase  the  sorrows  of  thy  fall, 
The  cities  of  the  nations,  who  fulfilled 
Thy  high  behests  in  the  dread  carnival, 
Are  wrecked,  or  turn  on  thee  to  fill  thy  cup  with  gall. 

CVIIT. 

Begrimed  and  torn  thy  scarlet  robes  of  state, 
Stripped  thy  tiara  from  thy  helpless  head, — 
Dishonored  now  is  thine  uncovered  pate,— 
Cast  out  in  scorn  of  thine  unholy  bed, — 
Wrenched  from  thy  hand  with  gore  of  martyrs  red 
Thy  scepter,  fall'n  thine  ensigns  of  command, 
With  all  thy  mighty  men,  great  captains,  dead, 
Expelled  with  loathing  hate  from  every  land, 
Come  down  and   sit   in   dust,  and   wait  the  avenger's 
hand. 

CIX. 

Ah  me !  in  that  commotion  of  the  sea, 
Before  the  tidal  wave's  high  swelling  wrath, 
Behold  the  terror-stricken  islands  flee  ^ 
In  haste  away  from  the  dread  tempest's  path. 
The  mountains  shake  beneath  the  fear  of  death, 
Fly  from  their  ancient  seats  to  'scape  the  storms 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  247 

Which  frown  upon  the  rebel's  heads  beneath. 
See  how  their  legions  gather  now  in  swarms 
The  spirits  of  the  tempest,  grim,  terrific  forms. 


ex. 


THE  TEMPEST  OF  HAIL. 

Behold,  O  men,  the  gathering  clouds, 

Surcharged  with  whirlwinds,  fire,  and  hail, 

Behold  how  fear  on  terror  crowds, 
As  winds  and  thunders  loudly  wail. 

O  God,  thy  judgments  were  severe, 
When  in  that  carnival  of  fear, 
With  battle's  din  and  earthquake's  shock, 
Thou  didst  the  startled  nations  rock. 

When  millions  in  the  strife  were  slain, 
Which  smeared  with  blood  vale,  hill  and  plain, 
When  bruised  and  dying,  with  their  cries 
And  lamentations,  rent  the  skies. 

Must  now  the  sons  of  men  bewail 
Wide  slaughter  by  the  wrathful  hail  ? 
O  may  not  thine  avengers  rest, 
Since  earth  is  with  thy  plagues  oppressed  ? 

Ah  !  no  ;  comes  on  the  dreadful  storm  ; — 
On,  on  its  countless  legions  swarm  ; 
Its  whirlwinds  through  the  forests  pour 
With  rattling  din  and  crashing  roar. 


248  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

They  break  the  forest  trees  asunder 
Like  frailest  reeds,  with  bolts  of  thunder ; 
As  reapers  lay  the  fields  of  grain, 
All  things  they  reap  from  hill  and  plain. 

They  fiercely  plow  the  watery  deep, 
Its  waves  their  'customed  bounds  o'erleap, 
Which  mingle  with  the  cloudy  skies, 
And  hailstones  form  of  fearful  size. 

These  from  the  roaring  heavens  are  cast 
On  earth  by  whirlwind's  rattling  blast, 
And  scatter  ruin  all  around, 
Till  scarce  a  living  thing  is  found. 

CXI. 

Hark  !  what  alarm  !  for  midst  that  fearful  fight 
Of  elements,  blasphemous  curses  roll 
From  out  the  heaving  womb  of  blackest  night, 
Poured  forth  in  torrents  from  the  burdened  soul 
Of  men,  who  curse  the  hail  with  bitter  dole. 
So  God  may  thunder  through  the  shaking  sky, 
Down  from  the  clouds,  his  mighty  chariot  roll, 
The  nations  feel  his  lightning  strokes  and  die, 
Yet  see  not  'tis  his  hand  uplifted  from  on  high. 

CXII. 

Mistaken  men,  why  will  ye  madly  brave 
The    God,  whose   hand   the  earth's   foundations 
shakes ; 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  249 

O  why  blaspheme  his  name  and  madly  rave 
Against  his  power,  which  earth's  great  kingdoms 

breaks, 

Whose  Providence  in  quick  obedience  makes 
The  winds  and  waves  serve  him,  and  wrath  of  men 
To  praise  him,  and  from  the  remainder  takes 
The  power  to  hurt.     Repent,  or  else  again 
Prepare  for  fiercer  wrath,  sore  blight,  and  deathful  pain. 

CXIII. 

But  ere  that  last  dread  storm  of  wrath  shall  burst 
On  her  rebellious,  proud,  defiant  head, 
Recall  to  mind  the  woman  God  hath  cursed, — 
Behold  her  ere  her  minions  all  have  fled,— 
And  think  how,  by  her.  hand,  the  saints  have  bled, 
And  how  against  them  she  has  long  prevailed  ; 
E'en  till  God's  thunderbolts  shall  strike  her  dead 
She  at  their  torments  will  have  fiercely  railed. 
Hear  now  her  story,  and  how  God  her  power  assailed. 

CXiv.  % 

MYSTERY   OF  BABYLON,    THE    GREAT,    THE 
MOTHER    OF    HARLOTS    AA^D 
TIONS  OF  THE  EARTHS 

Lo,  in  the  wilderness  of  earth,* 
Behold  what  wonder  had  its  birth, — 
A  woman  full  of  all  that's  bad, 
In  purple  and  in  scarlet  clad  ; 

*  Rev.  xvii.     See  Lecture  XI. 
II* 


250  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

And  decked  she  was  with  precious  stones, 
And  pearls  around  her  glittering  zones, — 
In  hand  a  golden  cup  she  held, 
With  vile  abominations  filled. 
That  cup  with  filthiness  o'erflowed, 
Her  unclean  fornications  showed. 

She  sat  upon  an  evil  beast, 

Which  had  been  once  from  hell  released. 

His  color  was  of  scarlet  hue, 

And  well,  for  million  saints  he  slew ; 

While  on  his  gory  skin  were  shown, 

Names  of  blasphemies  all  his  own. 

He  was  a  monster,  for  he  bore 

Seven  heads  and  ten  great  horns  of  power. 

The  woman's  forehead  bore  a  name 

Which  loud  proclaimed  her  sin  and  shame. 

Though  beautiful,  she  burned  with  lust 

And  trampled  virtue  in  the  dust  ;  ,je 

For  with  the  kings  of  earth  she  played 

The  harlot,  and  with  them  she  made 

A  league  of  death,  to  draw  the  sword 

Against  the  servants  of  the  Lord, 

Till  drunk  with  blood  and  carnage  she 

Rolled  in  her  sin  and  infamy. 

This  woman  is  the  Church  of  Rome, 
Which  hath  the  nations  overcome, 
And  formed  alliance  with  her  kings, 
Till  earth  to  her  its  tribute  brings, 
And  lays  it  at  her  bloody  feet, 
Her  ghostly  favors  to  entreat. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  251 

And  like  the  waters  of  a  flood, 
Swarm  to  her  seat  a  multitude. 
The  beast  is  ancient  Pagan  Rome  ; 
For  on  her  did  the  woman  come, 
And  Rome's  idolatries  she  taught, 
Her  idols  to  her  temples  brought, 
Baptised  as  saints  to  them  she  prayed, 
As  Rome  had  to  her  heroes  paid 
Her  homage.     She  to  cross  and  shrine, 
And  pictured  saints,  bowed  as  divine ; 
To  them  paid  adoration  blind. 
As  Rome  to  such  things  was  inclined. 
And  she  to  vilest  lusts  would  creep, 
That  she  might  thus  her  votaries  keep ; 
She  stumbled  not  at  any  crime, 
That  ever  stained  the  book  of  time, 
As  Rome,  in  her  licentious  fanes, 
On  lustful  passions  laid  no  chains. 

The  seven  heads  upon  the  beast, 

Are  seven  mountains  on  which  rest 

The  city  of  the  harlot's  power, 

Which  kings  had  given  her  for  her  dower. 

The  city  of  the  seven  hills 

With  story  many  ages  fills ; 

To  her  swarm  kings  and  potentates 

Of  peoples,  empires,  kingdoms,  states : 

They  traffic  with  the  impious  witch, 

By  whom  their  merchants  have  grown  rich, 

To  purchase  scepters,  crowns  and  thrones, 

Silver  and  gold  and  precious  stones. 


252  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

And  costly  raiment  of  all  hues, 

They  buy ;  with  wine,  oil,  odors  sweet, 
All  kinds  of  food  which  nations  use, 
With  steeds  to  jostle  in  the  street. 
And  chariots,  too,  full  many  score, 
With  which  to  bolster  up  her  power, 
They  bought,  and  slaves  and  souls  of  men, 
In  which  she  bartered  for  her  gain. 
Indulgence,  too,  for  any  sin, 
She  sold  to  them  who  sought  her  shrine. 

The  horns  are  kings  which  shall  have  power 

To  prop  the  beast  up  for  an  hour. 

They  with  one  mind  united  stand, 

Sworn  to  support  the  woman's  hand. 

Their  gathering  hosts  with  war  inflame, 

Against  the  followers  of  the  Lamb ; 

Of  kings  the  King,  of  lords  the  Lord,        *   * 

They  cannot  stand  against  his  sword, 

But  worsted,  beaten  in  the  fight, 

Their  legions  all  are  put  to  flight. 

And  then  they  turn  in  deadly  hate, 

To  make  the  harlot  desolate, 

To  strip  from  her  her  glittering  zones, 

And  tear  the  flesh  off  from  her  bones ; 

To  scorch  and  burn  her  in  the  fire, 

As  hot  as  her  own  fierce  desire : 

For  they  agreeing  do  fulfill 

The  will  of  God  in  good  or  ill. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  253 

They  serve  the  purposes  of  God, 
Bring  on  his  foes  his  scourging  rod, 
Whether  they  fight  against  his  word, 
Or  pierce  the  harlot  with  their  sword. 

CXV. 

Behold  !  another  wonder  still  appears, 
Filling  the  world  with  blank  astonishment, 
While  all  that  serve  the  harlot  shake  with  fears. 
A  mighty  angel  from  the  heavens  is  sent, 
With  clouds  of  glory,  his  habiliment. 
Hark !  as  above  the  earth  he  wings  his  flight, 
The  firmament  with  his  great  voice  is  rent, 
The  inhabitants  of  earth  turn  pale  with  fright ; — 
These  are  the  portent  words  he  utters  forth  with  might — • 

CXVI. 

LAMENT  FOR  BAB  YLON* 

Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen  from  power, 
Low  lies  her  strong  ones  to  rise  nevermore, 
Her  robe  and  tiara  with  carnage  are  soiled, 
Her  temples  are  crumbled,  her  palaces  spoiled, 
The  vile  habitations  of  devils  become, 
Where  every  foul  spirit  may  find  him  a  home ; 
Of  birds  all  unclean  and  most  hateful,  the  cage, 
A  warning  most  fearful  to  every  age. 

All  nations  have  drunk  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath, 
Which  the  Lord  surely  pours  in  the  transgressor's  path  ; 

*  Rev.  xviii. 


254  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

In  her  vile  embraces  the  kings  of  the  earth, 
Have  indulged  in  their  revels  of  unholy  mirth, 
Till  their  sins  have  enkindled  Jehovah's  strong  ire. 
And  the  merchants  of  earth  have  waxed  rich  on  her 

hire, 

By  their  traffic  in  dainties  forbidden  of  God, 
For  which  they  shall  feel  the  strong  weight  of  his  rod. 

Come  out,  O  my  people,  her  blasphemy  see, 

Saith  Jehovah,  that  ye  from  her  plagues  may  be  free, 

For  her  sins  up  to  heaven  have  reached,  and  they  call 

For  the  great  sword  of  wrath  on  her  head  now  to  fall. 

Reward  her  as  she  has  rewarded  your  sires, 

Around  her  enkindle  redoubled  the  fires 

With  which  she  slew  them,  and  the  cup  that  she  filled 

Redouble  to  her,  from  strong  wormwood  distilled. 

u 

As  much  as  she  lifted  herself  in  her  pride,          x  ' 
As  much  by  her  crimes  as  she  heaven  defied, 
So  much,  in  full  measure,  to  her  now  be  given 
Of  plagues,  till  her  bosom  with  torment  be  riven. 
For  she  saith  in  her  heart,  "  Lo !  I  sit  as  a  queen, 
And  no  sign  of  widowhood  e'er  shall  be  seen 
Around  my  habitation,  nor  shall  I  see  sorrow, 
As  to-day  is  great  plenty  so  shall  be  to-morrow." 

For  this,  in  one  day  famine,  mourning  and  death, 
Shall  fall  as  dread  plagues  on  her  desolate  path, 
And  she  shall  be  burned  in  unquenchable  fire ; 
For  strong  is  the  Lord  who  arises  in  ire. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  255 

Now  the  kings  of  the   earth  who  have  seen  her  great 

power, 

And  rolled  in  her  dainties  for  many  an  hour, 
Bewail  her  sad  fate  from  Jehovah's  fell  stroke, 
As  they  see  all  her  glory  ascending  in  smoke. 

And  the  merchants,  grown  rich  from   the   sales   of    her 

ware, 

Afar  from  her  stand  lest  her  torments  they  share, 
With  weeping  and  wailing  and  sounds  of  great  woe, 
That  the  source  of  their  wealth  to  destruction  should  go, 
That  a  city  arrayed  in  such  costly  attire, 
With  its  gold  and  its  gems  should  be  doomed  to  the  fire, 
Saying,  "  WToe  worth  the  day,  it  surpasses  all  thought, 
In  one  hour  such  riches  should  thus  come  to  naught." 

The  masters  of  ships  and  the  whole  company 

Of  those  who  for  traffic  go  down  to  the  sea, 

Stand  afar  from  her  plagues  and  lament  to  discover 

The  smoke  of  her  torment  arising  forever. 

"Alas!  O  alas!  that  she  in  one  hour, 

The  source  of  all  mariner's  riches  and  power, 

With  direst  distress  is  made  desolate !" 

Casting  dust  on  their  heads  they  bewail  her  sad  fate. 

Rejoice  over  her,  O  ye  heavens,  with  praise : 
Ye  prophets,  apostles  and  martyrs  now  raise 
Your  songs  of  redemption  from  her  dreadful  thrall, 
For  God,  your  avenger,  now  makes  her  to  fall. 
And  then  a  strong  angel  took  up  in  his  hand 
A  stone,  like  a  mill-stone,  which  lay  on  the  strand, 


256  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

And  cast  it  with  violence  into  the  sea, 

Saying,    "  THUS  THOU  GREAT  CITY  IT  SHALL  BE   WITH 
THEE." 

With  violence  sudden  she  shall  be  thrown  down, 

While  the  cry  of  her  torment  the  tempest  shall   drown, 

As  the  stone  is  entombed  by  the  waves  on  the  shore, 

So  she  shall  be  found  on  the  earth  nevermore. 

Now  hushed  is  the  voice  of  the  harpers  she  cherished, 

Her  music  of  pipes  and  of  trumpets  is  perished, 

All  palsied  the  hand  that  has  swept  the  sweet  strings. 

And  dead  is  the  rapture  that  melody  brings. 

Her  craftsmen  are  gone  that  supplied  her  rich  store, 

And  the  sound  of  the  mill-stone  is  heard  there  no  more, 

Her  light  has  gone  out  in  the  -darkness  of  night, 

And  the  joy  of  her  festals  has  taken  its  flight. 

The  board  where  the  bridegroom  was  wont  to  preside, 

At  which,  in  her  beauty,  attended  the  bride,    x  ' 

Is  desolate,  round  it  are  silent  their  songs, 

For  the  stroke  of  Death's  angel  has  palsied  their  tongues. 

CXVII. 

Rejoice,  the  battle's  o'er,  the  day  is  won. 
In  arms  and  panoply  victoriously 
Rides  forth  upon  his  chariot  the  Son, 
His  banner  o'er  his  head  waves  gloriously; 
The  earth,  long  rent  with  pangs  laboriously, 
Is  now  from  the  red  harlot's  power  released; — 
Ring  her  high  anthems  meritoriously, 
Exultant  that  her  agony  hath  ceased, 
While  with  the  voice  of  floods  the  music  is  increased. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  257 

CXVIII. 

Hark !  hark !  there  sounds  from  heaven  a  mighty 

voice  22 

Of  many  people  swelling  high  and  strong — 
Rolls  up  and  bids  the  starry  worlds  rejoice, 
And  join  with  men  in  one  resounding  song 
Of  triumph,  full,  clear,  loud  and  long, 
While  angel's  harps  with  harmony  are  trilling, 
And  all  are  jubilant  amidst  the  throng  ; — 
Hark  to  their  strains  with  joy  so  sweetly  thrilling, 
The  full  choired  heavenly  hosts  with  deepest  rapture 
filling. 

CXIX. 

THE  TRIUMPHAL  SONG* 

Hallelujah  to  God, 

Who  sits  on  the  sky, 

And  breaks  with  his  rod 

His  foes  far  and  nigh. 

Salvation,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power 
Ye  nations  give  to  him,  in  songs  evermore. 

True  and  righteous  his  ways, 
His  judgments  severe  ; 

*  And  after  these  things  I  heard  a  great  voice  of  much  people  in  heaven,  saying 
Alleluia:  Salvation,  and  glory,  and  honor,  and  power,  unto  the  Lord  our  God  :  For 
true  and  righteous  are  his  judgments,  for  he  hath  judged  the  great  whore,  which  did 
corrupt  the  earth  with  her  fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the  blood  of  his  servants  at 
her  hand.  And  again  they  said,  Alleluia.  And  her  smoke  rose  up  for  ever  and  ever. 
And  the  four  and  twenty  elders  and  the  four  beasts  fell  down  and  worshiped  God 
that  sat  on  the  throne,  saying,  Amen  ;  Alleluia. — REV.  xix.  1-4. 


2$8  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

O  join  in  his  praise, 

With  trembling  and  fear ; 
For  on  the  corrupter  he  visits  the  blood 
Of  martyrs,  shed  by  her  in  streams  like  a  flood. 

Hallelujah  again ! 

Send  the  shout  through  the  skies ; 

Let  the  mighty  amen 

In  thunders  arise, 

In  anthems  loud  pealing  from  heaven's  vast  throngs, 
With  symphonies  swelling  from  angelic  tongues. 

Ye  elders  fall  down 

And  worship  the  Lamb 

Who  sits  on  the  throne, 

With  loud-sounding  psalm. 
Amen  !  hallelujah  !  let  it  sound  forth  again 
Through  the  heaven  of  heavens,  hallelujah !  Amen ! 

cxx. 

Thus  Heaven's  high-sounding  anthems  rang  aloud, 
With  all  its  golden  harps'  delicious  clang, 
At  sight  of  ruin  of  the  harlot  proud, 
Whose  smoke  doth  o'er  the  pit  of  blackness  hang. 
Hark  !  hark  !  as  once  the  stars  together  sang, 
Another  louder  burst  of  rapture  thrills 
The  hosts  than  when  creation's  anthems  rang; 
It  rolls  a  deluge  from  the  heavenly  hills, 
And  all  the  earth  with  its  harmonious  music  fills. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  259 

CXXI. 
THE  UNIVERSAL  ANTHEM* 

Praise  Jehovah,  praise  Jehovah, 

All  ye  bright,  angelic  throngs, 
Shout  his  praises,  shout  his  praises, 

Earth,  with  thy  ten  thousand  tongues ; 
Tell  the  glad  and  thrilling  story, 

Ocean,  with  thy  thunders  loud  ; 
Show  his  glory,  show  his  glory, 

Tempest,  flashing  from  the  cloud. 

Lo  !  his  kingdom, — lo  !  his  kingdom, 

Stretches  now  from  shore  to  shore ; 
He  is  mighty,  he  is  mighty, 

He  shall  reign  forevermore. 
In  the  dust  his  foes  are  fallen, 

All  their  mighty  heads  lie  low, 
Crushed  to  earth  and  ground  to  powder 

By  his  last  tremendous  blow. 

Let  rejoicing,  let  rejoicing 

Fill  our  hearts  with  gladness  now ; 

Give  him  honor,  give  him  honor, 
And  before  his  footstool  bow, 


*  And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  saying,  Praise  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants, 
and  ye  that  fear  him,  both  small  and  great.  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of 
a  great  multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thun- 
derings,  saying,  Alleluia:  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth.  Let  us  be  glad  and 
rejoice,  and  give  honor  to  him  ;  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife 
hath  made  herself  ready.  And  to  her  was  granted  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  fine 
linen,  clean  and  white  :  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints. — REV.  xix.  5-8. 


260  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

For  the  long-expected  marriage 
Of  the  glorious  Lamb  has  come, 

And  the  bride  hath  made  her  ready 
To  attend  him  to  his  home. 

Church  triumphant,  Church  triumphant, 

Ne'er  shall  sink  again  thy  head 
In  the  dust,  beneath  the  footsteps 

Of  thy  foes,  forever  fled  ; 
Clothe  thyself  in  finest  linen, 

White  and  clean  as  fallen  snow, — 
Robe  of  righteousness  adorns  thee, 

Stain  of  sin  shall  never  know. 

Once  again  repeat  the  wonders 

Of  the  triumph  of  the  Lord, 
Shout  the  song  with  pealing  thunders, 

All  his  mighty  acts  record  ; 
Let  hosannas,  loud  hosannas,  x  • 

From  creation's  countless  throngs, 
Roll  in  surges  like  the  ocean, 

Filling  heaven  with  sounding  songs. 

CXXII. 

"BLESSED  ARE  THEY  THAT  ARE  CALLED  TO 
THE  MARRIAGE  SUPPER  OF  THE  LAMB."* 

Sweet  are  the  words  that  fill  our  ears, 

Like  heavenly  music  to  the  soul, 
Changing  to  smiles  our  falling  tears, 

And  bidding  broken  hearts  be  whole. 

*  Rev.  xix.  9. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  26 1 

Blest  are  the  men  that  hear  the  call 
That  bids  them  to  the  wedding  feast ; 

O  what  delights  await  them  all, 
Of  fruits  delicious  to  their  taste. 

A  glorious  vision  fills  their  eyes : 

The  fairest  of  the  sons  of  men, 
The  Lamb  who  was  their  sacrifice, 

Doth  now  the  kingly  state  maintain. 

They  look  upon  his  glorious  face, 
Bright  shining  as  the  morning  sun, 

And  sweet  assurance  there  they  trace 
Of  everlasting  joys  begun. 

There  they  shall  see,  in  stainless  dress, 
The  bride  adorned  with  all  her  charms, 

As,  coming  from  the  wilderness, 
She  leans  on  her  beloved's  arms. 

O  there  forever  shall  they  rest, 

And  feast  their  souls  on  heavenly  bread ; 
With  all  heaven's  dainties  now  possessed, 

Which  on  the  festal  board  are  spread. 

There  with  united  hearts  and  tongues, 
And  golden  harps'  delicious  sound, 

They  all  shall  sing  triumphal  songs, 

While  heaven  with  rapture  shall  resound. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  263 


CANTO  III. 


THE  LAST  PREMILLENNIAL  CONFLICT. 

Look  yonder !  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  uprolled 
A  vision  full  of  wonder  and  surprise, 
Mid  gorgeous  tints  of  purple,  white,  and  gold, 
A  way  to  heaven  lies  open  through  the  skies, — * 
A  way  down  which  full  many  a  cherub  flies, — 
A  beaten  way  down  from  those  heights  sublime, 
So  bright,  what  mortal  looks  upon  it  dies ; 
Those  walls  which  tower  above  the  wrecks  of  time 
Appear  :  their  open  gates  reveal  that  glorious  clime. 

II. 

A  rider  on  a  milk-white  horse  comes  forth, * 
Most  glorious  of  all  visions  we  have  seen, — 
His  eyes  flash  fiery  flames  upon  the  earth, 
And  many  crowns  cast  their  resplendent  sheen 
From  his  white  brow.     A  sword  with  edges  keen 
Flames  from  his  mouth,  with  which  to  smite. 
"  FAITHFUL  AND  TRUE"  his  name  hath  ever  been, 
His  wars  he  wages  in  behalf  of  right, 
In  truth  and  righteous  judgments  always  takes  delight. 

*  Rev.  xix.  ii. 


264  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

III. 

He  hath  a  written  name,  to  man  unknown, 
Which  none  but  he  himself  can  apprehend  ; 
A  character,  yet  to  his  saints  unshown, 
Must  with  his  many  names  its  glory  blend  ; 
Though  PRINCE   OF   PEACE,  he   can   his   Church 

defend 

With  fire  and  sword.    A  vesture  dipped  in  blood 
He  wears,  which  bolts  of  hell  can  never  rend. 
Another  name  he  bears,  "  THE  WORD  OF  GOD  ;  " 
His  mission  is  to  spread  that  message  all  abroad.2 

IV. 

Still  other  name  wrote  on  his  robe  and  thigh 

He    bears,— "THE    KING    OF    KINGS    AND 

LORD  OF  LORDS." 

He  thus  arrayed,  in  mien  and  bearing  high^  . 
What  office  now  with  him  so  well  accords 
As  leading  them  who  wield  Jehovah's  swords  ? 
Behold  them  there !  the  armies  of  high  heaven  ! 
On  milk-white  chargers  mounted,  while  each  girds 
His  sword  o'er  linen  white  as  snows  new  driven ; 
To  them,  to  wage  the  last  great  war  with  hell,  is  given. 

V. 

By  these  he  rules  the  world  with  iron  rod, 

And    with    them    war's    red,    reeking    wine-press 

treads, — 

The  "  wrath  and  fierceness  of  Almighty  God." 
Preached  from  his  mouth,  the  gospel  widely  spreads 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  265 

O'er  earth's  great  nations,  and  its  glory  sheds 
Upon  the  world.     But  wicked  kings  combined 
To  fright  it  from  the  earth  with  bloody  deeds  ; 
They  and  their  minions  to  its  mission  blind, 
Shall  to  the  sword  and  flame  of  battle  be  consigned. 

VI. 

Behold !  a  mighty  angel  now  uprears 
Himself  upon  the  sun's  broad,  flaming  face, 
So  bright,  his  form  in  that  great  disc  appears ; 
His  brightness  e'en  those  splendors  doth  displace, 
Which  on  a  thousand  shores  their  footprints  trace, 
And  through  their  open,  massive,  golden  bars, 
Those  floods  no  finite  distance  can  efface, 
Fling  their  white  banners  flashing  to  the  stars. 
Hear  now  his  proclamation :  hell's  huge  hosts  it  scares. 

VII. 

"  Come,  gather  together,  ye  fowls  of  the  heaven, 
'*  For  your  countless  legions  a  supper  is  given  ; 
"  The  Lord  hath  prepared  it,  come  ye  to  his  board, 
"  Where  food  in  abundance  for  you  he  has  stored. 
"  For  lo !  on  the  battle-field,  steeped  in  their  gore, 
"  The  flesh  of  great  captains,  full  many  a  score  ; 
"  Of  kings  that  have  fallen,  and  men  of  renown, 
"  Their  lofty  heads  shorn  of  both  helmet  and  crown  ; 
"  The  steed  from  whose  nostrils  life's  fervor  is  fled, 
"  The  rider  all  pale  with  the  hue  of  the  dead  ; 
"  Where  the  freeman  and  bondman  lie  down  side 

by  side, 

"  As  in  the  dread  onslaught  of  battle  they  died ; 
12 


266  BEFORE      THE     DAWN. 

"  Where  in  death's  gory  arms  lie  the  small  and  the 

great, 

"  With  no  kinsman  left  to  bewail  their  sad  fate. 
"  Come,  come  to  the  banquet  of  carnage  and  blood, 
"  Ye  fowls,  to  THE  SUPPER  OF  ALMIGHTY  GOD. 

VIII. 

Exalted  now  on  high  prophetic  ground, 
Like  that  on  which  the  prophet  took  his  stand 
When  from  Mount  Pisgah's  top  he  gazed  around 
Upon  the  desert  and  the  promised  land, 
In  retrospect  what  visions  we  command  ! 
Ah  !  what  a  journey  through  the  wilderness 
The  Church  has  made,  though  led  by  his  right  hand, 
As  now  outstretched  behind  us  we  may  trace 
Her  path  from  where  she  started  up  to  this  high  place. 

IX.  v 

See  yonder  where  she  rode  upon  the  flood, 
Anon  begirt  around  with  flames  of  fire, 
Then  onward  marching,  wading  seas  of  blood  ; 
And  then  assailed  and  tossed  by  tempest's  ire ; 
Attacked  by  myriad  foes,  with  fierce  desire 
To  hurl  her  to  destruction  ;  on  she  came, 
Though  round  her  wrangled  conflicts  fiercer,  higher; 
Still  she,  now  merged  in  floods,  now  scourged  with 

flame, 
Held  ever  loyal  to  that  only  saving  name. 

x. 

What  sandy,  barren  deserts  she  has  crossed  !  . 
O'er  what  high,  craggy  mountains  she  has  toiled ! 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  267 

Now  in  the  wilderness  her  way  seemed  lost, 
And  now  by  lying  landmarks  almost  foiled — 
Though  there  were  pastures  green  that  were  not 

spoiled, 

Where  her  young  lambs  in  safety  might  lie  down, 
And  there  were  quiet  streams  by  foot  unsoiled, 
Which  through  these  pastures  had  forever  flown, 
By  which  a  gentle  shepherd  led  them  as  his  own. 

XI. 

Along  that  weary,  toilsome  way  were  seen 
The  rack,  the  torture,  and  the  blackened  stake, 
Where,  midst  the  burning,  God's  dear  saints  had 

been, 

And  there  were  dungeons  where  for  Jesus'  sake 
They  suffered  all  their  weary  bones  to  break 
Beneath  the  Inquisition's  torturing  rack. 
And  often  they  a  spectacle  did  make 
For  thousands  filled  with  lusts  demoniac, 
Where  bravely  they  received  the  wild  beasts'  fierce 

attack. 

XII. 

Yet  on,  through  floods  and  flames  and  conflicts  sore, 
O'er  mountains,  deserts,  wildernesses'  waste, 
Midst  tortures,  where  she  bled  at  every  pore, 
O'er  fields  of  strife,  where  she  was  forced  to  taste 
Most  sore  defeats,  by  foes  relentless  chased, 
She  held  her  way,  and  from  her  hardest  thralls 
Arose,  increased  in  strength  and  unabased, 
Her  numbers  multiplying,  and  her  walls 
Enlarging,  till  their  shadow  over  millions  falls.  ^ 


268  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XIII. 

Yes,  she  endures  while  all  things  pass  away. 
On  that  long  journey  since  her  race  begun, 
She  saw  the  youthful  nations  growing  gray 
With  years,  great  empires,  when  their  race  was  run, 
To  ruin  fall,  and  cities  which  had  greatness  won, 
With  power  and  riches,  sink  beneath  the  shock 
Of  arms,  or  earthquakes,  all  their  warrings  done, 
While  tottering  thrones  did  hoary  monarchs  mock, 
And  wrecking  revolutions  wrangling  nations  rock. 

XIV. 

Ah !  what  a  desert  waste  is  that  behind  ! 
How  barren,  thirsty,  bloody,  conflict  torn  ! 
A  perfect  rest  and  peace  she  could  not  find, 
While  thus  by  sorrow,  toil  and  suffering  worn. 
Now  is  she  to  this  favored  height  upborne, x 
In  numbers  numberless,  her  tents  outspread 
O'er  many  a  rood,  with  banners  of  the  morn 
All  waving  gloriously  above  her  head  : 
To  the  last  conflict  she  is  waiting  to  be  led. 

XV. 

Now  nations,  empires,  rally  to  her  call, 
And  Jesus'  name  is  sung  in  many  tongues, 
Thrones  and  dominions  at  his  footstool  fall, 
While  continents  are  thrilled  with  Zion's  songs. 
O  what  a  prospect  fills  these  marshaled  throngs ! 
The  world  outspread  in  all  its  riches,  power, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  269 

To  Jesus  and  his  toiling  Church  belongs ; 
And  now  comes  on  the  great  decisive  hour, 
W7hen  it  shall  surely  fall  the  bride's  rich  marriage  dower. 

XVI. 

Behold !  behold  the  glorious  scenes  before  us, 
Send  up  the  shout,  all  hail !  the  promised  land, 
Let  all  the  armies  swell  the  sounding  chorus, 
Inspiring  fealty  to  his  high  command, 
Who  leads  the  sacramental  host.     We  stand 
Upon  the  border  which  divides  the  night 
From  day ;  the  desert  from  that  region  grand 
Where,  in  effulgence  beams  celestial  light, 
"  Sweet  fields  in  living  green  and  rivers  of  delight." 

XVII. 

But  yonder  rises  a  black  cloud  of  wrath, 
Which  spreads  its  murky  wings  from  pole  to  pole, 
And  casts  its  gloomy  shadows  o'er  our  path, 
And  veils  the  day-star  in  its  outstretched  scroll, 
As  on  its  fearful  convolutions  roll. 
It  makes  the  darkness  just  before  the  dawn 
More  fearful  and  depressing  to  the  soul, 
Than  when  night's  car  is  to  the  zenith  drawn, 
And  to  engulf  the  world  the  deeps  of  midnight  yawn. 

XVIII. 

Religious  despotism  was  shorn  of  power 

By  that  fell  stroke  on  Armageddon's  field, 

And  Islam  did  before  the  avenger  cower, 

When  proud  Euphrates'  flood  was  forced  to  yield. 


2/0  BEFORE     THE     DAWN. 

' 
In  vain,  in  other  strifes  upon  the  shield 

Which  overspread  the  Church,  had  Satan  hurled 
The  heaviest  bolts  his  mightiest  power  could  wield 
On  every  field  his  bloody  flag  is  furled, 
And,  now,  religious  freedom  rules  the  Christian  world. 

XIX. 

The  dragon,  which  had  symbolized  before 
The  persecuting  power  of  Pagan  Rome, 
When  crushed,  was  superceded  in  his  power, 
By  her  that  in  a  harlot's  dress  did  come, 
And  on  the  seven  mountains  fixed  her  home ; 
Again  revived,  he  on  his  back  did  bear 
This  woman  covered  with  the  odium 
Of  fornications  vile,  till  God  did  tear 
Her  from  her  seat  and  hurl  her  minions  to  despair. 


"  The  beast  that  was  and  is  not  and  yet  is,"  * 
Is  this  red  dragon,  now  the  last  of  foes, 
Dread  symbol !  all  the  Pagan  world  is  his, 
And  has  been  since  from  hell's  dark  shades  he  rose, 
And  will  be  till  the  last  tremendous  blows 
Of  God  shall  fall  upon  his  hydra-head ; 
When  in  the  last  great  struggle  they  shall  close, 
For  ever  falls  the  monster  horned  and  red, 
By  whom  so  many  prophets,  saints  and  martyrs  bled. 

XXI. 

Behold  !  two  worlds  are  front  to  front  opposed, 
The  Christian  and  the  Pagan,  all  prepared 

*  Rev.  xvii.  8. 


BEFORE     THE     DAWN.  2/1 

For  war,  and  soon  in  conflict  shall  be  closed  ; 
That  rider  with  his  flaming  falchion  bared 
Now  calls  his  saints  who  have  his  kingdom  shared, 
To  rally  all  their  legions  for  the  war. 
Wide  have  the  dragon's  martial  trumpets  blow'd 
To  summon  all  the  nations,  near  and  far, 
That  own  his  power,  to  swell  the  battle's  fearful  jar. 

XXII. 

How  then  shall  these  two  worlds  in  war  collide  ? 
The  Son  of  God  arrayed  in  mightier  power 
Than  he  has  ever  shown  before,  shall  ride 
Upon  his  foes,  with  myriad  saints,  and  shower 
His  mighty  blows,  increasing  every  hour, 
By  that  sharp  sword  delivered  from  his  mouth, — 
The  blessed  gospel,  heaven's  most  precious  dower, 
The  Spirit's  weapon,  all-prevailing  truth, 
On  heathen  lands, — till  all  shall  hear  of  love  and  ruth. 

XXIII. 

Thousands  shall  fall  in  every  country,  slain 
By  that  sharp  sword,  but  slain  again  to  rise 
To  new  and  nobler  life,  to  break  the  chain 
Of  sin  and  death  and  hell,  and  to  the  skies 
Be  borne, — when  struggling  with  the  agonies 
Of  the  last  hour,  an  endless  life  to  feel, — 
On  that  great  day  to  hear  the  symphonies 
Which  angels  sing  when  their  loud  anthems  peal, 
And   th'   burden   of  their   songs  the    heavenly  worlds 
shall  thrill. 


2/2  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XXIV. 

As  from  the  sun,  the  fountain  of  all  light, 
The  angel's  last  dread  invitation  came 
To  all  the  fowls  in  their  remotest  flight, 
So  war,  where'er  his  beamy  arrows  flame, 
Shall  rage  and  roar,  with  nation's  loud  acclaim, 
In  East,  West,  North  and  South,  and  everywhere, 
Wherever  men  are  sunk  in  sin  and  shame. 
High  burn  the  fires  and  wide  their  lightnings  glare, 
Angels  and  devils  in  the  conflict  all  shall  share. 

XXV. 

Behold    THE    MAN   WHOSE    EYES    ARE    FLAMES    OF 

FIRE  ! 

Who  wields  resistlessly  the  sword  of  God, 
With  gorgeous  banners  streaming  in  the  air, 
Preparing  now  to  rule,  with  iron  rod, 
The  nations,  who  shall  quickly  own  his  nod^; 
When,  in  the  reeking  wine-press,*  he  shall  tread 
In  fierceness  of  his  wrath,  with  vengeance  shod, 
Till  higher  he  shall  raise  his  jeweled  head, 
And  over  all  the  world  his  conquering  armies  spread. 

XXVI. 

What  wondrous  armies  follow  in  his  train  ! 
Heaven's  glorious  chieftains  famed  in  wars  of  old  ! 
Their  countless  cohorts  swarm  o'er  hill  and  plain, 
Wide  through  the  air  their  glittering  ranks  unfold, 
Yea,  on  the  clouds  their  daring  way  they  hold  ; 
Yes,  see  the  earth,  the  air,  the  rolling  clouds 

*  Rev.  xix.  15. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  2/3 

Alive  with  warriors  on  their  chargers  bold, 

With    ranks   wide,    deep,   and    high,    in    countless 

crowds, 

While  sheen  of  banners,  plumes  and  swords,  the  heav 
ens   enshrouds. 

XXVII. 

*         These  are  the  warriors  which  the  conqueror  led,* 
When  first  rebellion  shook  the  heavenly  world, 
As  from  his  presence  thrones,  dominions  fled, 
And  fallen  hierarchs  to  hell  were  hurled. 
Lo  !  on  the  right,  with  banners  all  unfurled, 
Great  Michael  illustrious  comes  in  arms  ; 
Far  to  the  north,  white  as  the  snows  upwhirled 
By  boreal  winds,  his  countless  army  swarms, 

Outnumbering  the  snowflakes  in  that  realm  of  storms. 

XXVIII. 

While  on  the  left,  down  to  the  furthest  pole, 
Next,  Gabriel  commands  the  heavenly  hosts ; 
Princes  and  potentates,  neath  his  control, 
Guard  with  their  legions  all  those  Southern  coasts, 
E'en  from  where  Capricornus  holds  his  posts, 
And  turns  the  torrid  summer  northward  back, 
When  it  hath   reached  its  bounds,  t'  Antarctic 

frosts : 

Outspread  and  wide  his  armies,  as  the  wrack 
Which  rises  from  the  ocean,  in  the  sun's  warm  track. 

*  Rev.  xix.  14. 

12* 


2/4  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XXIX. 

And  he  who  bears  the  sword,  the  center  holds, 
Which  stands  outstretched  across  the  burning 

zone: 

The  mightiest  columns  his  command  unfolds, 
Wide  as  the  ocean,  towering  toward  the  throne, 
On  which  the  Great  Eternal  sits  alone, 
In  numbers  far  too  great  for  men  to  show 
With  earthly  signs — to  God  they're  only  known  : — 
As  countless  as  the  aqueous  drops  that  flow 
In  all  the  ocean  tides  throughout  the  world  below. 

XXX. 

And  mighty  Abdiel  and  Uriel, 
His  great  lieutenants,  hold  direct  command 
With  him,  who  knows  their  power  and  valor  well, 
For  each  has  led  in  fight  a  numerous  band, 
And  each  with  mighty  foes  has  tried  his  haitd 
On  many  a  hard-fought  field  of  strife  and  din, 
Where  heaven's  great  sons  contended  to  withstand 
The  powers  of  darkness,  Satan,  death,  and  sin : 
Ranged  now  in  line,  they  wait  the  battle  to  begin. 

XXXI. 

But  there  are  others  in  that  vast  array, 
Not  less  beloved  of  him  who  bears  the  sword, 
Who,  over  thorny  paths,  have  made  their  way, 
With  faith,  in  life  or  death,  to  own  their  Lord  ; 
Ten  million  saints  in  white,  with  one  accord, 
Join  with  the  angels,  their  last  war  to  wage 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  275 

Against  the  beast,  so  much  by  Heaven  abhorred. 
Behold  the  Church  triumphant  there  engage, 
Apostles,  prophets,  martyrs,  saints  of  every  age. 

XXXII. 

These  are  the  hosts,  invisible,  that  come 
To  this  last  conflict,  which,  when  won,  shall  end 
The  wars  before  the  blest  millennium. 
These,  Church  of  Christ,  doth  thy  Redeemer  send 
To  guard  thee  day  and  night,  and  thee  befriend, 
Since  to  the  post  of  honor  thou  art  called, 
In  battle's  front  the  banner  to  defend, — 
To  plant  on  every  fortress,  grim  and  walled, 
The  lifted  cross,  by  which  are  millions  disenthralled. 

xxxin. 

Now  Jesus  sends  his  proclamation  forth 

Again, — "  O  Church,  gird  up  thy  loins  anew, 

"  Go  to  the  East,  the  West,  the  South,  the  North, 

"  And  preach  my  gospel  to  the  Greek  and  Jew ; 

"  Gird  on  thy  sword  which  once  its  thousands  slew, 

"  And  wield  it  with  a  faith  that  ne'er  before 

"  Hath  nerved  thine  arm ;    and  keep  my  cross  in 

view. 

"  Go  tell  all  men  its  precious  story  o'er, 
"  And  offer  pardon,  heaven,  to  all  from  shore  to  shore." 

XXXIV. 

(t  Go,  I'll  be  with  thee,  and  those  countless  hosts, 
"  Around  and  o'er  thee,  covering  van  and  rear, 


2/6  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

"  Shall  guard  thy  goings  to  those  distant  coasts, 
"  Which  thou  shalt  traverse,  then  dismiss  thy  fear, 
"  And  sound  the  trumpet  for  the  world  to  hear." 
The  Church  responds,  and  feels  intenser  zeal 
Thrill  through  her  limbs  and  members  far  and 

near — 

The  mission  spirit, 4  love  for  others'  weal- 
She  feels  more  strong  desire  to  save  a  world  from  ill. 


'  They  go  by  thousands,  now,  instead  of  twos,  s 
Dear  missionaries  of  the  precious  cross, 
For  Jesus'  sake,  a  weary  life  they  choose. 
The  Church  begins  to  count  her  gold  but  dross, 
And  all  her  richest  gains  as  so  much  loss, 
If  she  the  glorious  kingdom  may  -not  aid  ; 
And  to  the  winds  her  doubts  and  fears  doth  toss: 
She  gives  her  millions  where  before  afraid    v  • 
To  give  her  tens,  for  this  she  learns  her  gold  was  made. 

xxxvi. 

Soon  missionaries  swarm  the  heathen  world  ; 
In  sufferings,  prayers  and  labors,  they  abound, 
Until  Jehovah's  banners  are  unfurled 
On  every  mountain  top,  the  world  around, 
Till  every  nation  hears  the  trumpet  sound, 
And  myriads  haste  the  precious  cross  to  own  6 
While  casting  their  dumb  idols  to  the  ground  : 
They  burn  to  make  the  cross  to  others  known 
And  bring  the  world  to  bow  before  Messiah's  throne. 


BEFORE    T  II  E    D  A  W  N.  2// 

XXXVII. 

Now  he  who  wore  the  vesture  dipped  in  blood, 
Sounds  his  great  trumpet,  makes  its  thunders  roll 
From  the  high  zenith,  upward  many  a  rood, 
Round  the  whole  heavens  and  down  to  either  pole : 
It  stirs  his  armies,  thrills  them  to  the  soul. 
They  know  his  signal,  bidding  them  to  haste 
To  counsel  with  him  :  quick  as  thought,  the  whole 
Celestial  army,  numberless  and  vast, 
Upstand  in  grand  concentric  circles  round  him  massed. 

XXXVIII. 

"  Archangel,  cherubim  and  seraphim  attend, 
"  Dominions,  principalities,  give  ear, 
"  And  to  my  words  your  quick  obedience  lend  : — 
"  On  yonder  outspread  battle-field  you  hear, 
"  Midst  mortal  strife,  the  sounds  of  hope  and  fear, 
"  My  struggling  Church  contending  with  the  beast, 
"  Must  fight  his  minions,  gathering  far  and  near, 
"  Until  the  chosen  are  from  him  released, 
"  And   he    cast  down   to  hell,  the   grievous  war   hath 
ceased. 

XXXIX. 

"  Round  every  soul,  now  struggling  for  release 

"  Upon  that  field,  a  thousand  demons  wait 

"  To  hold  him  back  from  Wisdom's  paths  of  peace, 

"  And  bind  him  down  to  their  own  fiery  fate. 

"  Once  angels  like  yourselves,  in  high  estate, 

"  Though  fallen,  mighty  yet,  they  will  prevail 


2/8  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

11  To  drive  each  sin-sick  soul  from  yonder  gate, 
"  Unless  your  equal  powers  their  ranks  assail, 
"  And  pour  upon  their  heads  Jehovah's  burning  hail. 

XL. 

"  Great  Michael,  renowned  for  lofty  deeds, 
"  Put  on  thy  shield,  thy  sword  upon  thy  thigh, 
"  Conduct  thy  legions,  on  their  flaming  steeds, 
"  To  yonder  empire  where  in  conclave  high, 
"  The  king  and  princes  of  the  land  draw  nigh  ; 
"  Where  fallen  potentates  elate  for  fight, 
"  Still  hope  celestial  thunder  to  defy, 
"  To  bind  that  mighty  realm  in  ruin's  night ; 
"  Go,  with  your  flaming  weapons,  all  their  armies  smite. 

XLI. 

"  And  Gabriel,  second  in  your  high  estate, 

"  Go,  lead  your  hosts  where  Boodh  and  Brahma 

reign, 

"  Who  on  the  beast  as  servile  minions  wait ; 
"  Launch  all  your  thunders  on  their  heads  amain, 
"  Drive  them  in  dire  confusion  from  the  plain. 
"  While  Abdiel,  Uriel,  warriors  tried  and  bold, 
"  Be  it  our  part  to  bind  a  ponderous  chain, 
"  Upon  the  limbs  of  him  who  once  of  old 
"Stirred  mightiest  war: — in  lasting  bondage  him  we'll 

hold. 

XLII. 

"  Ye  spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect,  dear 

"  As  apple  of  mine  eye,  be  this  your  part, 

"  Our  struggling  brothers  yet  on  earth  to  cheer ; — 

"  When  fighting,  ward  away  the  fiery  dart, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  279 

"  When  wounded,  soothe  the  bitter  pang  and  smart, 
"  When  weary,  gently  lead  them  into  rest, 
"  When  fainting,  re-inspire  the  sinking  heart, 
"  When  dying,  in  ambrosial  garments  dressed, 
"  Go,  bear  their  franchised  souls  to  regions  of  the  blessed." 


XLIII. 

He  spake,  and  quick  as  light's  swift  arrows  fly, 
In  mighty  arcs  back  to  their  stations  wheel 
Innumerable  armies,  filling  earth  and  sky, 
While  loud  the  hoofs  of  heavenly  chargers  peal, 
And  with  their  rattling  wheels  the  heavens  reel. 
They  pause  awhile  as  forming  their  array 
Till  each  division  hears  its  chief's  appeal. 
Behold  !     Imagination  can  convey 
No  thought  of  visions  seen  in  such  a  grand  display. 

XLIV. 

There  a  white  cloud,  ten  thousand  leagues  around, 
Uprears  so  bright  that  moon  and  stars  grow  pale 
And  hide  their  faces  in  the  deeps  profound, 
While  e'en  the  sun's  resplendent  banners  fail. 
It  is  alive  with  warriors,  clad  in  mail, 
With  shields  outspread  broad  as  the  orb  of  day, 
Helms  from  whose  crests  hath  glanced  hell's  fiery 

hail, 

And  swords  that  flash  their  own  intrinsic  ray, 
And  milk-white  steeds  that  rush  like  whirlwinds  to  the 

fray. 


280  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XLV. 

Now  swift  as  morning,  on  their  squadrons  roll, 
Their  sounding  hoofs  upon  the  empyrean  break, 
Like  seven-fold  thunder,  shaking  either  pole, 
While  tramp  and  shout  and  thundrous  clamor  make 
The  highest  heaven  and  earth's  foundation  quake. 
Songs  of  high  daring  swell  from  rank  to  rank, 
While  tramp  and  trump  and  shout  no  discord  make, 
But  blend  harmonious  song  or  saber's  clank, 
And  one  all-thrilling  anthem  sounds  from  flank  to  flank. 


XLV  I. 

Thick  as  autumnal  leaves  swept  by  the  wind, 
They  scatter  o'er  all  lands  of  Pagan  night, 
Swarm  round  each  soul  by  thousands,  to  unbind 
The  chains  of  sin,  to  ope  blind  eyes  to  light, 
To  worst  hell's  struggling  legions  in  the  fight 
Which  soon  with  double  fury  rages  round, 
Where'er  th'  awakened  soul  would  take  its  flight 
From  Death's  dark  door ;  it  loudly  will  resound, 
Till  Satan  flies  and  leaves  the  captive's  limbs  unbound 

XL  VI  I. 

It  is  a  wondrous,  solemn  thought  indeed, 
That  round  each  sin-sick  soul  such  conflict  rages, 
As  that  to  it  the  heavenly  powers  give  heed, 
And  angel  with  archangel  there  engages, 
Momentous  more  than  long  historic  pages 
Unfold.     Yea,  there  the  great  destroyer  Death 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  28 1 

Doth  dash  his  floods  against  the  Rock  of  Ages, 
To  drown  the  soul,  e'er  it  is  moored  beneath 
His  shade — in  deep  despair  to  merge  awakening  faith. 

XLVIII. 

But  yet  we  will  remember  what  that  soul 
Possesses,  that  its  worth  is  vastly  more 
Than  many  wrorlds  like  ours ;  as  ceaseless  roll 
The  ages  more  than  sands  on  ocean's  shore 
It  lives,  and  heights,  unmeasured,  shall  explore, 
Of  knowledge,  virtue,  happiness  and  peace  ; 
Or  merged  in  shades  where  storms  forever  roar, 
Where  endless  pains  forever  shall  increase, 
And  pangs  of  worm  that  never  dies,  shall  never  cease. 

XLIX. 

O,  if  the  possibilities  of  hell 
And  heaven  are  hanging  in  the  dreadful  poise 
Of  battle,  wonder  not  that  angels  dwell 
Upon  the  conflict,  and,  with  bold  emprise, 
Cross  swords  with  fallen  cherubim,  midst  noise 
Of  rattling  shields.     What  is  an  empire's  dower? 
What  the  whole  sum  of  all  terrestrial  joys? 
What   are   ten   thousand    crowns    and    thrones  of 

power  ? 
Stark  nothing  when  compared  with  life  forevermore. 

L. 

O  then,  ye  warriors,  spur  your  steeds  afresh, 
Dash  your  bright  squadrons  on  the  powers  of  hell, 


282  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

And  with  the  glance  of  lightning  'gainst  them  flash 
Your  swords  of  high  celestial  temper,  fell 
Their  huge,  misformed  battalions,  ring  their  knell 
With  your  resounding,  helmet-crushing  blows ; 
On,  on,  their  horrid  insurrection  quell, 
And  save  the  people  from  devouring  foes, 
Go,  hurl  sin's  legions  down  to  everlasting  woes. 

LI. 

The  conflict  rages  far  o'er  hill  and  vale, 
In  country,  village,  seaport,  inland  town, 
In  cities  great,  where'er  is  heard  the  wail 
Of  millions  sinking  under  wrath's  dread  frown, 
Of  beggar  and  of  him  who  wears  a  crown  ; 
But  everywhere  God's  warriors  prevail, 
While  Satan's  shaken  bulwarks  topple  down 
Beneath  the  truth  in  storming  rain  and  hail 
As  everywhere  in  huge  defeat  his  armies  fail. 

LTI. 

Now  millions  own  the  Lord,  in  every  land, 
Snatched  from  idolatry's  debasing  thrall, 
While  songs  and  praises  rise  on  every  hand, 
And  east  to  west,  and  north  to  south  do  call, 
To  tell  the  news,  proclaim,  to  great  and  small, 
The  precious  gospel's  joy-inspiring  sound. 
So  many  come,  'tis  thought  again  that  all 
Will  soon  obey  the  truth,  the  world  around, 
And  Christ  will  reign  where'er  the  race  of  man  is  found 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  283 

LIII. 

Thus  hell  is  worsted,  on  ten  thousand  fields, 
And  its  dark  warriors  fly  before  the  sword, 
Which  smites  and  crushes  all  their  orbed  shields, 
And  cleaves  the  brazen  helmets  which  begird 
Their  scowling  foreheads,  yea,  with  zeal  bestirred, 
It  thrusts  through  every  stony,  hating  heart, 
Those  piercing  pangs  which   they  who   hate  the 

Lord, 

Forever  feel,  while  writhing  with  the  smart, 
Of  worm  that  never  dies  and  fires  that  ne'er  depart. 

LIV. 

The  fallen  hierarch,  o'erthrown  in  fight, 
Now  fled  from  battle's  dread  disastrous  rout, 
Betakes  himself  to  yon  lone  mountain  height, 
And  there,  in  his  dark  soul,  is  tossed  about 
With  mighty  passion,  while  he  belches  out, 
Like  a  volcano,  hatred,  scorn  and  pride : 
Now  he  laments,  and  now  he  curses  stout 
The  Prince  against  whose  shield  he  vainly  tried 
His  sword,  when  on  his  ranks  the  milk-white  steeds  did 
ride. 

LV. 

He  groans,   and,   with    the   sound,   the   mountain 

shakes, 

As  yEtna,  when  its  adamantine  base 
Is  heaved  with  hidden  fires  and  inly  quakes, 
As  in  convulsion,  it  would  strive  to  raise 


284  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

The  flaming  vomit,  its  sore  pangs  to  ease. 
"  Alas  !  alas  !  and  has  it  come  to  this 
"  That  scorned  and  beaten,  filled  with  deep  disgrace 
", Great  Lucifer,  who  once  was  throned  in  bliss, 
"  Must  now  receive  both  men's  and  angels'  gibing  hiss. 

LVI 

"  Must   I,   to   whom   both   thrones  and   kingdoms 

bowed, 

"  Whom  seraphim  and  cherubim  obeyed, 
"  Before    the   Almighty's    minions    scourged    and 

cowed, 

"  And  by  my  craven  followers  betrayed — 
"  These  sons  of  men  against  me  now  arrayed — 
"  Must  I  be  driv'n  from  this  mean  earth,  the  last 
"  Of  my  once  great  possessions,  and  afraid 
"  Of  venging  wrath,  fly  at  his  trumpet's  blast, 
"  And,  with  my  limbs  enthralled,  in  deepest  hell  be  cast. 

V    ' 

LVII. 

"  By  all  the  fiends  that  rally  round  me,  NO ! 
"  By  all  the  storms  that  in  the  abyss  may  lower, 
"  By  all  the  thunders  in  the  world  of  woe, 

"  BY  ALL  INFERNAL  ENGINES  OF  DREAD  POWER, 
"  BY  ALL  THE  DEEDS  WHICH  MADE  THE  NATIONS 

COWER, 

"  Before  .me,  who  am  styled  the  prince  of  air, 
"  BY    ALL   THE    TEMPESTS   WHICH    FROM    HEAVEN 

I'LL  POUR, 

"  IT  SHALL  NOT  BE,  naught  shall  my  purpose 

scare, 
"  I'll  win  or  lay  the  world  in  ruins  everywhere." 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  285 

LVIII. 

So  saying,  filled  with  bitter  rage  and  hat ' 
He  grows  a  monstrous  form,  black,  swoll'n,  immense, 
And  darkens  earth  and  sky,  as  clouds  dilate 
When  gathering,  in  their  caverns  dark  and  dense, 
Their  tempests,  fires  and  floods,  with  violence 
To  scathe  and  scatter  all  upon  the  gale : 
So  he  to  measure  with  Omnipotence 
His  powers  again,  doth  fire  and  winds  inhale, 
And  with  hell's  stormy  night  doth  cover  mount  and  vale. 

LIX. 

He  sounds  his  horrid  signal  far  and  near, 
To  call  his  hosts  from  each  disastrous  field, 
The  mountain  groans  and  shakes,  as  if  with  fear, 
And  belches  flame,  the  growling  thunders  yield 
Their  lungs  to  sound  the  trump  as  pealed 
They  once  o'er  Sodom,  winds  and  tempests  wail 
With  dismal  hiss,  like  flying  serpents,  nealed 
In  fires,  thus  all  combined,  the  ears  assail 
With  dissonance  ne'er  heard  before,  unless  in  hell. 

LX. 

His  minions  hear  on  every  hill  and  plain, 

And  quick  as  thought,  as  locusts  swarmed  of  yore, 

They  rise  from  myriad  fields  where  they  have  lain 

In  dire  defeat,  amazed,  appalled  and  sore, 

By  angels'  strokes  amidst  the  battle's  roar, 

And  fill  the  air  above,  below,  around 


286  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

.  The  mount,  a  hundred  leagues  and  more, 
While  with  the  clouds  their  dark  battalions  crowned, 
Rise  rank  o'er  rank  above  where  Satan  sits  enthroned. 

LXI. 

With  satisfaction  high  the  fiend  surveys 
His  armies,  thus  so  ready  at  his  call, 
He  brings  to  mind  the  scenes  of  other  days, 
Ere  he  and  his  did  from  the  empyrean  fall. 
He  sees  the  same  great  chieftains,  one  and  all, 
Have  come,  with  'tendant  armies,  numerous 
As  forest  leaves,  now  rallying  great  and  small, 
As  once  they  hung  on  battle  ruinous, 
When  first  they  sought  with  God  rebellious  swords  to 
cross. 

LXII. 

Their  swarming  legions  darken  e'en  the  sun ; 
They  dry  the  dews  and  rains  with  their  hot  Breath, 
O'er  all  that  land  whereon  their  armies  run, 
Their  footsteps  wither,  blast,  and  lay  in  death 
Green  grass,  and  shrub  and  tree,  and  all  beneath 
The  horrid  cloud,  and  make  the  land  a  waste 
A  thousand  roods  around,  a  barren  heath, 
Whose  blistering  sands,  nor  dews,  nor  rains  may 

taste, 
Where,  through   the   choking   air,  the   poison  samiels 

haste. 

LXIII. 

Look  on  that  vast  array  of  fallen  spirits, 
Each  in  his  own  etherial  essence  lives, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  287 

(For  there  is  none  but  endless  life  inherits, 
Though  doomed  to  hell,  and  many  a  time  receives 
Great  sword  thrusts,  such  as  high  archangel  gives, 
Which  wound,  but  cannot  kill.)    But  how  deformed 
Their  horrid  shapes,  whose  features  naught  relieves ! 
Distort  with  hate,  and  now  with  fear  alarmed, 
Or   shriveled   with    hot    bolts,    as    in    the    fight    they 
stormed. 

LXIV. 

Soon  as  this  grizzly  host  is  gathered  round 
The  seat,  pavilioned  by  the  sulphur  smoke, 
Where  Satan  sits,  again  the  hills  resound ; 
He  speaks,  as  many  a  time  of  yore  he  spoke: 
"  Once  more,  O  comrades,  we  have  felt  the  stroke 
"  Of  the  Almighty  in  his  power  and  wrath, 
"  As  erst  upon  our  ranks  his  thunder  broke, 
"  And  we  were  writhing  with  the  pain  and  scath  : 
"  Fled  we  have  hence,  aside  the  Son's  victorious  path. 


LXV. 

"  But  not  to  hide  ourselves  in  craven  shame ; 
"  No,  no,  to  nurse  our  injured  pride  and  hate, 
"  To  brave  again  the  terrors  of  his  name, 
"  For  we  will  ne'er  this  stormy  war  abate 
"  While  we  can  strike  ;  let  prince  and  potentate 
"  Recall  the  grievous  wrongs  they  have  received 
"  From  yonder  upstart  Son,  who  rides  in  state 
"  Upon  that  ghostly  horse,  and  is  believed 
"  The  king  decreed  of  all  the  earth,  from  us  retrieved. 


288  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

LXVI. 

"  Think  how,  upon  the  heavenly  hills,  we  waged 
"  An  equal  war  with  twice  our  numbers  told, 
"  Of  angel  hosts ;  think  how  the  conflict  raged 
"  For  many  a  day,  till  o'er  our  legions  bold 
"  This  enemy  his  thunder  chariot  rolled  : — . 
"  How  thick  and  fast  his  hurtling  missiles  cast 
"  Upon  our  heads  with  fury  uncontrolled  ! 
"  Unused  to  such  dire  war,  we  stood  aghast, 
"  Till  to  the  abyss  we  fled  before  the  flaming  blast. 

LXVIL 

"  This  Son  hath  balked  my  plans  a  thousand  times  : 
"  Once,  when  upon  the  earth  the  deluge  came, 
"  And  we  had  grasped  all  men  besteeped  in  crimes, 
"  Foredoomed  to  death  ;  above  the  flood  and  flame, 
"  In  that  great  ark,  he  snatched   from  death  and 

shame  ^  ' 

"  A  remnant  of  that  doomed  and  hated  race, — 
"  Which  now  by  millions  rally  at  his  name, — 
"  That  he  might  save  their  sons  by  his  free  grace, 
"  And  safely  make  them  dwell  for  aye  before  his  face 

LXVIII. 

"  He  hath  cast  down  those  heathen  gods  of  yore 
"  Who  rallied  hosts  obedient  to  my  nod  ; 
"  And  that  false  prophet,  rallying  millions  more, 
"  Hath  bowed  his  head  transfixed  beneath  his  rod : 
"  And  Pagan  Rome,  beneath  the  scourge  of  God 
"  Hath  fallen,  and  with  her,  Rome's  high  Pontifex, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  289 

"  And  hoary  prelates  the  same  path  have  trod, 

"  Who  with  the  rack,  and  flame,  and  death  would 

vex 
"  God's  servants,  e'en  high  heaven's  deep  counsels  would 

perplex. 

LXIX. 

"  And  Sensualism,  Atheism,  o'ercome  and  shamed, 
"  Which  once  called  millions  our  strong  cause  to 

aid, 
"  Are  now  cast  down  where'er  his  sword   hath 

flamed. 

"  The  despot's  throne,  which  once  our  flag  upstayed, 
"  And  Mammon's,  too,  which  many  soldiers  made 
"  For  us,  are  fallen  prone  'neath  his  attack, 
"  And  all  our  helps,  of  low  or  lofty  grade, 
"  Are  sunk,  o'er  half  the  world,  in  ruin's  wrack : 
"  Our  cause  is  lost  unless  we  drive  his  armies  back. 


LXX. 

"  Let  us  recall  how  we  have  balked  his  power : 
"  Once,  when  our  hosts  were  into  prison  hurled, 
"  We  broke  his  bonds,  and,  in  a  Stygian  shower, 
"  Poured  countless  armies  on  this  new-made  world, 
"  And,  in  the  pall  of  death,  its  beauty  furled  ; 
"  Drew  man  from  his  allegiance  to  his  God, 
"  Laid  all  in  ruins  dire,  by  tempests  whirled, 
"  Spread  sickness,  pain,  and  sorrow  all  abroad, 
"  With  wounds,  and  blood,  and  death,  where'er  our 
feet  have  trod, 
13 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 


LXXI. 

"  And  once,  when  yonder  victor  came  to  save 
"  This  wretched  race  from  our  supreme  control, 
"  We  caught  and  held  him  in  the  gloomy  grave, 
"  And  down  to  hell  did  send  his  groaning  soul, 
"  And,  though  he  from  our  gloomy  prison  stole, 
"  What  has  been  may  be  yet  again,  we  may 
"  This  warrior  seize,  and  'gainst  his  prison  roll 
"  Mountains  of  granite,  which,  to  roll  away, 
"  Not   all  his  hosts  have   power,  with   all   their  great 
array. 

LXXII. 

"  And,  as  the  trophies  of  our  numerous  wars, 

"  Behold  yon  mighty  host  of  ruined  men 

"  In  the  abyss,  outnumbering  the  stars, 

"  Doomed  to  eternal  pains  and  sorrows,  then 

"  Consider  what  vast  hosts  we'll  capture  wh^n 

"  Our  squadrons  rush  again  to  hostile  arms, 

"  And  tell  me,  warriors,  have  our  wars  been  vain  ? 

"  Those  hosts  now  doomed  to  yonder  realm  of 

storms 
"  Are  nearly  equal  ours  when  first  we  felt  hell's  harms." 

LXXIII, 

To  whom  Beelzebub,  in  prompt  reply  :  — 
"  Great  King,  thy  faithful  subjects  all  say  No  ! 
"  Tis  not  in  vain  we've  raised  the  sword  on  high, 
"  For  we  have  been  avenged  for  all  our  woe, 
"  In  this  great  host  of  captives  from  our  foe  ; 
"  My  suffrage  still  is,  war  e'en  to  the  knife, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  2QI 

"  Lead  on,  great  chief,  into  the  fight  we'll  go, 
"  And  sate  our  lust  and  hatred  in  the  strife, 
"  Or  in  the  blaze  of  battle  quench  this  wretched  life. 

LXXIV. 

"  But,  first  of  all,  methinks  thou  shouldst  be  wise ; 

"  Behold  our  foe,  in  his  triumphant  trains, 

"  Leads   forth    his    saints  by  thousands  from   the 

skies, 
"  Whilst  thou    hast  kept  thy  followers  bound   in 

chairfe,  ' 

"  As  helpless  captives  on  yon  Stygian  plains ; 
"  Unbind  their  fetters,  habit  them  in  arms, 
"And  I'll  engage,  by  all  the  racking  pains 
"  Which   they   have   suffered,   they   will   come    in 

swarms, 
"  And    swell  thy   train,  and   fill   thy  foes  with    dread 

alarms." 

LXXV. 

Apollyon  next,  the  Great  Destroyer,  spake : — 
"  Fools  we  have  been  as  we  have  ne'er  before, 
"  In  this  last  fight ;  why  did  we  fail  to  take 
"  Our  carnal  arms,  and  call  from  every  shore 
"  Obedient  kings,8  and  stain  the  earth  with  gore  ? 
"  My  counsel  is,  the  scourge,  the  burning  stake, 
"  The  rack,  the  torture,  with  the  wild  beast's  roar, 
"  To  conflict  let  earth,  heaven,  and  hell  awake, 
"  We'll  win,  or  with  the  shock  of  arms  creation  shake ; 

LXXV  I. 

"  Yea,  with  the  smoke  of  fight  put  out  the  sun, 
"  And  veil  the  reeling  sky  in  blackest  night, 


2Q2  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

"  Unhinge  the  stars,  which  in  their  orbits  run, 

"  And  make  them  fall  like  rain,  the  world  to  fright ; 

"  Yea,  wreck  the  world  in  one  last  mortal  fight, 

"  And  make  the  stormy  heavens  together  roll 

"  As  one  black  scroll,  and  pass  from  mortal  sight ; 

"  And  while   the  earth  doth  shake  from   pole   to 

pole, 
"  The  flames  shall,  covering  land  and  sea,  devour  the 

whole." 

LXXVII. 

Surceased  the  crafty  fiend,  when  round  him  broke 
Applauding  thunder,  at  his  braggart  boast ; 
Upflash  a  million  spears  amid  the  smoke, 
Which  seethes  in  sulphur  stench  throughout  their 

host, 

Echoes  through  all  that  land,  from  coast  to  coast, 
The  noise  of  rattling  arms  prepared  for  wars,v  ' 
Defiance  huge  from  rank  to  rank  is  tossed  ; 
Impatient  chieftains  in  the  camp  of  Mars 
Now  clamor  for  a  conflict  that  will  shake  the  stars. 

LXXVIII. 

Behold  what  tempests  bode  within  that  cloud,— 
The  heavens  grow  black  beneath  their  scowling 

hate,— 

The  wrangling  winds  with  passion  shrieking  loud, 
Groaning  in  limbos  of  the  storm,  inflate 
The  clouds,  their  pregnant  caverns  agitate, 
While  far,  from  flank  to  flank,  the  frowns  of  wrath 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  293 

Light  up  their  glancing  fires  infuriate, 
Where  fiends  of  blood  incarnadine  their  path, 
As  whirlwinds,  hail,  and  tempest  scatter  wreck  and 
death. 

LXXIX. 

Arises  now  the  prince  of  power  of  air, 
And  sounds  again  his  trumpet  in  the  din, 
His  minions  hear  his  signal  from  afar, 
And  pause  ere  they  the  battle  may  begin  ; 
They  catch  a  voice  discordant  far  within 
Their  ranks,  and  to  it  all  attentions  lend. 
"  Well  spoken,  faithful  servants,  if  we  win 
"  We  must  to  battle  all  our  forces  bend, 
"  And  in  the  dread  attack  let  men  and  devils  blend. 

LXXX. 

"  Great  Beelzebub,  go  with  this  brazen  key, 
"  Push  back  the  massy  bolts  which  hold  yon  gates, 
"  And  set  that  numerous  host  of  prisoners  free ; 
"  Tell  them  their  captain  now  in  armor  waits 
"  Their  coming  here,  that  he  may  put  to  straits 
"  Our  common  foe  ;  for  empire  of  the  earth 
"  We  fight ;  the  wrathful  conflict  ne'er  abates 
"  Till  we  win  back  the  country  of  their  birth, 
4<  Where  all  shall  dwell   forever  free  from    blight   and 
dearth. 

LXXXI. 

"  And  thou  Apollyon,  words  so  bravely  spoken, 
"  Must  needs  have  weight,  go  thou  to  every  king 


294  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

"  And  prince  who  with  us  have  not  broken, 

"  And  stir  them  up  to  deeds  of  blood,  and  bring 

"  Them  here,  their  greatest  armies  gathering 

"  From    all    their   realms,    roll    up   their    cannons' 

thunder, 

"  Let  lance  and  spear  and  sword  and  saber  ring, 
"  And  muskets  crash  the  rolling  rack  from  under, 
"  We'll  gather  force  and  win,  or  cleave  the  world  asunder. 

LXXXII. 

"  Go  thou  with  hell-born  vengeance  on  thy  brow, 
"  Stir  all  our  furies  far  o'er  hill  and  vale, 
"  Again  to  flames  these  praying  Christians  throw, 
"  Bid  Moloch  make  their  roasting  infants  wail ; 
"  Upon  the  cross  their  writhing  bodies  nail, 
"  As  once,  in  better  days,  we  nailed  their  Lord, 
"  With  torture,  rack,  ten  thousand  deaths  assail 
"  The  rebels  'gainst  our  power,  of  hell  abhorred. 
"  Exterminate  them  all,  as  once  by  Nero  stirred." 


LXXXIII. 

He  ceases,  then  as  quick  as  tempests  dash, 
His  ready  servants  on  their  missions  haste. 
Soon  hell  re-echoes  with  the  sounding  crash 
Of  bolts  withdrawn,  the  gates,  before  the  blast 
Of  quick  explosion,  backward  open  cast, 
And  from  the  dread  abyss  outpours  a  tide, 
Black  as  the  smoke  of  furnace  hot  and  vast, 
And,  like  an  inundation  deep  and  wide, 
It  rolls  along  through  air  and  halts  at  Satan's  side. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  295 

LXXXIV. 

High  acclamations  shake  that  vast  array 
Of  fallen  angels,  when  those  spirits  damned, 
Whose  murky  clouds  shut  out  the  light  of  day, 
Swarm  to  their  aid,  by  hell's  fierce  fires  inflamed, 
Won  to  that  course  by  lying  words  unshamed  ; — 
Lost  souls,  once  cheated  out  of  heavenly  bliss 
By  this  apostate,  the  old  serpent  named, 
Now  hope  to  gain,  in  such  a  world  as  this 
A  place,  to  mend,  by  fighting  Christ,  their  fatal  miss. 

LXXXV. 

To  Beelzebub  is  given  the  command 
Of  this  array,  an  army  woundrous  great, 
To  spread  throughout  the  world  in  every  land, 
Against  the  Church  to  stir  up  wrath  and  hate, 
And  urge  to  blood  each  evil  magistrate 
No  bloodier  armies,  Satan  ever  had, 
Than  these  lost  souls  with  wrath  insatiate : 
Not  even  fallen  angels  are  as  bad 
As  they,  since  they  in  arms  against  the  Church  are  clad. 

LXXXVI. 

Apollyon  hastes  through  all  the  earth  to  stir* 

Each  king  and  prince  to  wrath  against  the  saints, 

Assisted  by  the  beast,  to  wage  a  war, 

So  bloody,  that  imagination  faints 

At  its  dread  picture,  which  she  vainly  paints, 

To  crimson  earth  and  sea  with  running  gore, 

*  Rev.  xix.  19. 


296  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

To  fill  the  pregnant  air  with  mournful  plaints, 
To  shake  the  mountains  with  the  battle's  roar, 
And  light  war's  conflagrations  wide  on  every  shore. 

LXXXVII. 

HARK !    hear  the  call  to  arms  throughout  the 

world,  ^ 

Roll  its  alarums  over  land  and  sea, 
Behold  !  war's  crimson  banners  wide  unfurled, 
Hear  sounds  portending  dread  calamity, 
The  bugle  call,  the  rumbling  chariots,  see 
Yon  RIDER  comes,  upon  his  milk-white  steed, 
To  meet  these  hosts  of  hell-born  chivalry ; 
His  earthly  Church  in  this  great  war  to  lead, 
In  carnal  armor  clad  for  this  last  time  of  need. 

LXXXVIII. 

Now  heaven,  and  earth,  and  hell,  for  fight  arrayed, 
On  battle's  awful  brink,  expectant  stand.      v 
There  have  the  kings  of  earth  their  flags  displayed, 
With  many  nations  massed  at  their  command, 
Outspread,  for  many  a  league,  on  either  hand, 
While  far  in  rear  their  deepening  columns  form, 
In  numbers  vast  as  grains  of  desert  sand, 
And  overhead,  around,  on  wings  of  storm, 
Lost  souls  of  men  and  fiends  in  countless  armies  swarm. 

LXXXIX. 

Outnumbering  these,  by  far,  the  hosts  of  God 
Are  ranged  for  fight,  o'erlapping  their  wide  flanks, 
With  steeds  of  battle  for  destruction  shod, 
While  to  the  rear  outstretch  their  bristling  ranks, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  2Q7 

For  many  a  mile  where  gun  or  saber  clanks, 
And  overhead,  far  to  the  zenith  rise 
Celestial  warriors,  filling  boundless  blanks 
Of  space,  the  guardian  armies  of  the  skies, 
To  cover  front,  flank,  rear,  where  winged  danger  flies. 


XC. 

Now  wake  the  sounds  of  carnal  strife  again, I0 
More  loud  and  fearful  far  than  e'er  before. 
Along  the  front  burst  fires  of  death  amain, 
While  like  exploding  worlds  the  cannons  roar, 
And  through  the  sky  their  iron  tempests  pour, 
While  leaden  rain  torments  the  sulphurous  air : 
Come  wounds,   and   death,  and  floods  of  running 

gore, 

Mid  glancing  steel  of  sabers,  in  the  glare, 
Where  iron  tramp  of  steeds  the  wounded  do  not  spare. 


XCI. 

E'er  wnile,  above  this  mortal  din  and  strife, 
The  powrers  of  hell  fight  with  the  hosts  of  heaven, 
Where  whirlwind  gusts  and  thunderbolts  are  rife, 
Hurled  back  and  forth  as  to  the  battle  driven, 
At  whose  tremendous  strokes  the  sky  is  riven, 
Where  host  meets  host  in  huge  concussion  crashed 
(Such  hosts  in  battle  ne'er  before  have  striven) 
With  such  commotion,  e'en  the  stars  are  dashed 
Down  from  the  sky,  as  flaming  swords  on  shields  are 
clashed. 

13* 


298  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

XCII. 

Along  the  north,  where  Michael's  claymore  flames, 

Thrones  sink  in  ruins,  hoary  empires  fall, 

Kings  lie  in  death,  who  wrote  in  blood  their  names, 

Great  cities  shake,  lies  prostrate  every  wall : 

In  vain  the  princes  on  their  subjects  call. 

Down   sink,   ye  gods,   your  temples  stained   with 

lusts, 

Your  grisly  powers  are  wavering  one  and  all, 
Below,  before  a  million  saber-thrusts, 
Above,  before  the  angels'  awful  thunder-gusts. 

XCIII. 

Meanwhile  along  the  south  where  Gabriel  fights, 
Is  heard  the  dismal  crash  of  falling  towers, 
The  rush  of  heavenly  hosts  the  beast  affrights, 
And  Boodh  and  Brahma  yield  their  waning  powers, 
Prone  in  the  dust,  each  smitten  minion  cowers, 
Their  ancient  kingdoms  sink  in  ruins  dire  ; 
No  more  their  gods  shall  bask  amid  their  bowers, 
Their  prophets  fall  beneath  Jehovah's  ire, 
All  soon  to  be  o'erwhelmed  beneath  the  lake  of  fire. 

XCIV. 

But  in  the  center  where,  in  battle  closed, 

Hell's  potent  hierarch  arrayed  in  arms, 

With  heaven's  most  choicest  warriors  is  opposed, 

His  mightiest  powers  are  gathered  round  in  swarms, 

There,  in  the  shock,  as  swept  by  myriad  storms, 

The  mountains  tremble,  shakes  the  solid  land, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  299 

The  heavens  grow  pale  amidst  the  dread  alarms, 
Sun,  moon  and  stars  in  fear  expectant  stand, 
As  if  the  end  of  all  things  earthly  were  at  hand. 


Now  Satan's  armies,  shattered  in  the  shock 
Of  battle,  fly  and  leave  him  all  alone, 
But  yet,  uncowed  and  firmer  than  a  rock, 
He  stands  and  hurls  defiance  at  the  throne, 
And  scorns  to  fly,  though  all  his  troops  are  flown. 
The  heavenly  hosts  divide  and  swift  advance 
Sheer  past  the  spot  where  his  dread  form  is  shown, 
Then  close  behind  him  quick  as  lightnings  glance, 
And  leave  him  helpless  quite,  to  mend  the  dread  mis 
chance. 

XCVI. 

And  now  their  wide  extended  flanks  outspread 
In  curve  concentric  round  his  routed  host, 
A  flaming  crescent,  by  the  archangel  led, 
Pursues  them,  now  with  pain  and  terror  tossed, 
Their  idle  swords  no  more  in  battle  crossed. 
Chased  by  a  mightier  power  than  whirlwind's  blast, 
They  know  the  day,  that  everything  is  lost, 
So,  like  autumnal  leaves  by  tempest  cast 
To  th'  winds,  they  fly,  in  huge  confusion  thrown,  aghast. 

XCVII. 

On  rush  the  horsemen,  roar  the  chariot  wheels, 
And  rain  hot  thunderbolts  by  angels  hurled 


300  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Upon  their  writhing  shapes,  creation  feels 
The  shock.     Then  upward,  by  tornado  whirled, 
They're  lifted  far  above  th'  astonished  world, 
And  borne  in  ruin  dire  unto  the  brink 
Of  that  abyss  of  fiery  billows  swirled 
By  hot  recoil,  'neath  scoria  black  as  ink, 
Down  in  whose  horrid  deeps  the  foes  of  God  must  sink. 

XCVIII. 

Hell  hath  enlarged  itself  a  hundred  fold  : 
Farther  than  eye  can  reach,  that  sulphur  sea 
Extends  its  dread  expanse,  with  smoke  uprolled 
In  pitchy  blackness,  where  eternally 
The  tempest  groans,  whence  none  can  flee. 
High  flaming  walls  do  everywhere  enclose 
This  realm,  and  fires  to  all  eternity 
Shall  rage  unquenched  :  its  lowest  deeps  disclose 
Still  lower  deeps  enlarged  for  all  Jehovah's  foes. 

XCIX. 

They  halt  in  horror's  dread  recoil,  at  sight 
Of  that  tremendous  lake  of  flaming  fire, 
As  if  again  they  would  renew  the  fight, 
But  charged  with  heaven's  ten-fold  avenging  ire, 
They're  swept  across  the  brink  in  ruin  dire, 
And  down  the  horrid  height,  a  deluge  pours, 
Than  of  Niag'ra's  endless  cat'ract  higher 
Ten  thousand  times ;  nine  frightful  days  it  roars : 
The  shock  is  heard  and  felt  on  earth's  remotest  shores. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  3OI 

C. 

In  huge  astonishment  erst  Satan  stood, 
To  see  the  ruin  of  his  armies  vast ; 
Outstretched  around  him,  on  that  field  of  blood, 
Lay  kings  who,  in  his  service,  armies  massed, 
Great  captains,  too,  laid  low  by  tempest's  blast ; 
The  horse  and  rider,  bond  and  free,  all  slain 
By  heaven's  devouring  fires,  in  vengeance  cast, 
While  mountain  heaps  of  bodies  choke  the  plain : 
The  fowls  of  heaven  unto  their  supper  haste  amain. 

Cl. 

E'en  while  the  foe  of  God  and  man  surveys 
The  wrack  and  ruin  of  this  last  great  fight, 
Lo  !  in  the  east  a  wondrous  cloud  displays 
The  True  and  Faithful,  on  his  charger  white, 
By  heavenly  guards  attended  in  his  might. 
With  them  had  he  from  swift  pursuit  withdrawn, 
To  seize  this  wily  foe,  disdaining  flight, — 
When  all  his  armies  into  rout  had  gone, — 
And  bind  and  cast  him  where  hell's  fiery  caverns  yawn. 

CII. 

Whom  Satan  sees,  he  feels  within  his  breast 
Hot  fires  enkindling  envy,  wrath  and  hate, 
His  swelling  rage  by  naught  can  be  repressed, 
The  heavens  grow  dark  with  frowns  infuriate, 
His  eyes  flash  lightnings,  thunders  fulminate 
From  his  dark  bosom,  earth  grows  black 


302  BEFORE    THE    DA-WN. 

And  quakes  with  terror,  lest  her  fate 
Should  be  destruction,  midst  the  threatened  wrack 
Of  fight,  as  this  great  chieftain  waits  the  dread  attack. 

cm. 

As  onward  the  victorious  horseman  rides, 
He  gathers  heaven's  hot  lightnings  in  the  cloud 
On  which,  with  sounding  hoof,  his  charger  strides, 
Flings  from  his  hand  ten  thousand  thunders  loud, 
And  calls  his  guard  around,  a  numerous  crowd : 
Nor  pauses  when  he  nears  his  raging  foe, 
But  hurls  his  sword  upon  his  forehead  proud, 
Whose  swift  descent  cleaves  helm  and  buckler 

through, 
Nor  stays  its  fall  until  it  cleaves  the  fiend  in  two. 

CIV. 

Now  once  again  with  monstrous  pain  he  quails, — 
Though  quick  his  essence  part  to  part  returns, — 
At  sight  of  such  fierce  anguish  heaven  e'en  pales ; 
And  so  black  hell  would  pale,  where  hottest  burns 
Its  fire,  if  it  were  there,  although  it  spurns 
All  thoughts  of  pity  for  the  pangs  it  makes. 
Swift  flight  this  chieftain  now  no  longer  scorns, 
But  to  his  aid  the  wings  of  whirlwind  takes, 
And  flies   the  frowning  cloud,  whose  thunder  on  him 
breaks. 

CV. 

Like  some  vast  meteor,  through   the  midnight 

gloom, 
Discharging  loud  explosions,  jets  of  flame, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  303 

The  dragon  flies,  as  if  to  'scape  his  doom, 
Pursued  by  him  who  bears  the  unknown  name. 
Nor  does  he  seek  his  clamorous  flight  to  tame, 

o 

Till  on  far  Afric's  sands  he's  brought  to  bay 
By  heavenly  guards,  uncowed  by  fear  or  shame, 
Surrounded,  yet  through  many  a  well-fought  fray 
He  braves  angelic  arms  and  stems  the  vast  array. 


CVI. 

Far  in  the  desert  stands  a  mountain  high, 
Of  strongest  granite  built,  with  furrowed  brow, 
Whose  hoary  turrets  lean  against  thy  sky. 
With  back  against  that  mount  the  fiend  doth  vow 
To  brave  extermination,  ere  to  bow 
Submiss  to  him  who  bears  the  sword  of  God, — 
Not  all  heaven's  angels  shall  his  spirit  cow, 
Grim  death  alone  shall  make  him  own  that  nod, 
And  death  can  only  come  by  the  Almighty's  rod. 

cvn. 

Now  heaven's  stern  warriors  their  artillery  wield 
Against  him  fearless,  e'en  upon  him  cast 
The  mountain  tops,  yet  on  his  rocky  shield 
The  avalanches  thunder  harmless  ;  last 
They  seek  to  overturn  the  mountain,  blast 
Its  strong  foundations,  hurl  it  down  in  wreck, 
And  bury  him  'neath  rocks  to  hold  him  fast. 
But  he,  perceiving  what  they'd  undertake, 
Doth  balk  their  counsels,  all  their  meshes  break : 


304  .  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

CVIII. 

For,  as  his  wont  was,  he  with  rage,  and  hate, 
And  stark  defiance,  swells  his  monstrous  form, — 
A  nameless  shape  of  cloudy  wrath  elate, — 
Begirts  the  mountain  with  a  wreath  of  storm, 
And  shakes  loud  thunders  with  his  great  right  arm. 
Vain  is  the  fight,  till  "  HE  WITH  MANY  CROWNS  " 
Rides  to  the  front  and  stays  the  work  of  harm, — 
Confronts  the    mount,  from  which   the  tempest 

frowns, 
And  sounds  his  signal  trump,  which  all  the  thunder 

drowns. 

CIX. 

Now  from  the  bending  sky,  on  sounding  wing, 
The  warrior,  Abdiel,  stoops  at  his.  command, 
Ithuriel,  disenchanter,  following, 
And  both  before  the  Lord  obedient  stand, 
The  first  a  chain  and  key  holds  in  his  hand. 
Says  Christ :  "  Ithuriel,  take  thy  wondrous  spear, 
"  Go  touch  yon  monster  who  doth  so  expand 
"  His  large  proportions,  and  himself  uprear 
"  So  high, — in  his  appropriate  form  he'll  soon  appear." 

ex. 

No  sooner  said  than  done, — the  frowning  cloud 
Ithuriel  smites ;  with  quick  collapse  it  takes 
Its  pristine  form — the  fall'n  archangel,  proud — 
Though  shorn  of  glory,  still  with  wrath  he  shakes, 
And  on  the  ear  his  stern  defiance  breaks. 
"  Go,  Abdiel,  bind  his  rebel  feet  and  hands 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  305 

"  With  thy  great  chain,  for  earth  now  groans  and 

quakes 

"  To  be  released  from  his  enslaving  bands ; 
"  Go  shut  him  up  in  prison  beneath  the  burning  sands." 


CXI. 

The  mighty  angel  grapples  with  the  foe, 
But  short  the  struggle  with  superior  might ; 
Soon  hell's  archangel  in  the  dust  lies  low, 
And,  held  by  giant  hand,  he  yields  the  fight. 
Quick  bound  in  chains,  he  is  prepared  for  flight 
To  the  abyss ;  fast  in  the  whirlwind's  track 
He's  borne  away,  far  out  of  mortal  sight, 
And,  with  the  rush  of  tempest,  hurried  back 
To  that  grim  world   of  death  and  stark  destruction's 
wrack. 

CXII. 

Beneath  the  wall  that  guards  the  burning  lake, 
On  side  the  furthest  off  from  earth  or  heaven, 
A  horrid  path,  two  severed  mountains  make, 
Through  fearful  gorge,  by  some  great  earthquake 

.  riven, 
Leads  down  to  that  dread  place,  where  vengeance, 

driven 

By  dire  rebellion,  hath  in  wrath  prepared 
A  prison-house,  where  fiends  of  yore  have  striven  ; 
Its  ponderous  gates  have  open  stood,  unbarred, 
Since  when  the  powers  of  hell  the  new  creation  marred. 


306  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

CXIII. 

Unto  those  yawning  gates  is  Satan  borne, 
Through  them,  upon  a  fiery*tempest,  whirled 
Into  the  soundless  deep,  forever  torn 
By  wracking  torments :  then  the  gates  are  hurled 
Together  with  a  crash  that  shakes  the  world 
Below.     The  ponderous  key  drives  home  the  bars 
That  hold  in  prison  him  who  first  unfurled 
The  rebel  flag,  and  plowed  the  earth  with  wars, 
And  scattered  wounds  and  death  o'er  all  beneath  the 
stars. 

CXIV. 

Shut  in  his  adamantine  prison  round, 
With  the  archangel's  seal  upon  him  set, 
No  more  the  cheated  nations  shall  be  drowned 
In  wars ;  yea,  sword  and  spear  they  shall  not  whet, 
And  even  war's  dread  arts  they  shall  forget^  . 
They  shall  enjoy  this  rest  a  thousand  years, 
With  all  that  peace  and  plenty  can  beget ; 
Exempt  from  war's  alarms,  its  deaths  and  fears  ; 
Dried  up  the  fount  of  orphans'  moans  and  widows'  tears. 

cxv. 

Hail,  conquering  Jesus,  hail,  all  hail  to  thee  ! 
Comes  on  thy  kingdom  now  with  peace  and  joy ; 
Earth  sings  thy  praises  over  land  and  sea, 
And  in  thy  service  finds  her  sweet  employ — 
No  more  shall  foes  thy  heritage  destroy : 
Now  from  the  east  the  gloomy  clouds  are  gone, 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  307 

Wide  for  the  advance  the  heavenly  hosts  deploy : 
Lo !  through  the  gates,  by  milk-white   coursers 

drawn 
The  Eternal  Son  of  God  brings  in  the  glorious  dawn. 

CXVI. 

Ah,  me  !  what  visions  fill  my  raptured  eyes ! 
The  Conqueror,  arrayed  in  robes  of  state, 
Outshining  all  the  glories  of  the  skies, — 
The  rainbow  on  the  cloud  where  fulminate 
His  thunders  loud,  —his  eyes,  whence  radiate 
The  light  which  pierces  to  creation's  bounds, — 
His  locks, — his  brow, — his  form, — the  hosts  that 

wait 

Upon  his  path, — the  choir  that  him  surrounds, — 
Their  myriad  harps : — a  psalm   from   earth   to  heaven 

resounds. 

CXVII. 

BEHOLD  OUR  CONQUERING  JESUS  COMES. 

Behold  our  conquering  Jesus  comes, 

In  triumph  from  the  skies  ; — 
Now,  from  our  homes  and  temple  domes, 

Let  our  loud  anthems  rise. 

Thou  earth,  lift  up  thy  smiling  face, 

Ye  mountains,  skip  like  rams, 
As  bathed  in  glory  by  his  grace, 

Ye  little  hills,— like  lambs. 


308  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Ye  forests,  clap  your  hands  for  joy, 

Ye  murmuring  rivers,  sing, 
Ye  oceans,  all  your  waves  employ, 

To  praise  our  glorious  King. 

Ye  nations,  hail  the  blessed  Lord, 
The  glorious  Prince  of  Peace  ; — 

Beneath  his  reign,  in  sweet  accord, 
Shall  wars  and  tumults  cease. 

Oh  !  gracious  Sovereign,  hail !  all  hail ! 

We  welcome  thee  to  earth : — 
Thy  righteous  scepter  shall  prevail 

Wherever  men  have  birth. 

We'll  fill  thy  courts  with  sounding  praise, 

The  world  with  holy  song, 
And  heaven  shall  echo  back  our  lays, 

Our  joyful  notes  prolong. 

CXVIII. 

He  listens,  smiling,  to  our  faltering  strains, 
His  scepter  waves  in  answer  to  our  joy, 
His  countless  choirs,  arrayed  in  glorious  trains, 
Will  all  their  sweetest  minstrelsy  employ, 
Earth  to  salute  in  notes  without  alloy 
Of  discord.     O,  what  harmonies  descend, 
As  rank  by  rank,  their  glittering  hosts  deploy, 
And,  earthward,  all  their  shining  squadrons  tend, 
While  all  the  melodies  of  heaven  in  concert  blend. 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  309 

CXIX. 

THE  ANSWERING  SONG  OF  THE  ANGELS. 

We're  coming,  we're  coming,  on  pinions  of  love, 
With  chariots  and  horses,  innumerable  throng, 

We  haste  with  sweet  rapture  from  regions  above, 
And  we  send  you   our  greeting  in  heart-swelling 
song. 

We  have  heard  of  your  sorrows,  your  fears  and  your 
pains, 

Your  conflicts  and  triumphs  for  Jesus'  dear  name, 
As,  in  the  dark  valleys  and  drear  desert  plains, 

You  breasted  the  tempest  of  war,  flood  and  flame. 

We  have  stood  by  your  sides  in  your  weakness  and 
woe, 

Invisible  spirits  to  strengthen  your  souls ; 
Now,  as  earthward  in  glorious  triumph  we  go, 

We  catch  your  loud  anthem  as  heavenward  it  rolls. 

We  join  in  your  songs  of  Salvation  to  God, 

To  Jesus,  all  glorious,  our  own  blessed  King ; — 

With  loudest  hosannas  we'll  spread  all  abroad 
His  praise  while  creation  its  tribute  shall  bring. 

CXX. 

O,  never  was  the  earth  so  bright  before, 
Since  Eden's  morn,  when  God  with  men  did  dwell, 
Never  such  music  sound  from  shore  to  shore, 
Never  such  raptures  from  men's  bosoms  swell ; — 


3IO  BEFORE    THE    DAWN. 

Too  deep  and  strong  for  human  speech  to  tell, 
The  angel  hosts  descend  on  Zion's  mount, 
And  mingle  with  the  hosts  of  Israel, 
In  unison  the  praise  of  Christ  recount, 
And  shout  the  song  that  thrilled  his  armies  militant. 


CXXI. 
CHRIST'S  CORONATION  HYMN. 

"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name ! 

Let  angels  prostrate  fall ; 
Bring  forth  the  royal  diadem, 
And  crown  him  Lord  of  all. 

"  Crown  him,  ye  morning  stars  of  light ! 

He  formed  this  floating  ball ; 
Now  hail  the  strength  of  Israel's  might, 
And  crown  him  Lord  of  all. 

"Ye  chosen  seed  of  Adam's  race, 

Ye  ransomed  from  the  fall, 
Hail  him  who  saves  you  by  his  grace, 
And  crown  him  Lord  of  all. 

"  Let  every  kindred,  every  tribe, 

On  this  terrestrial  ball, 
To  him  all  majesty  ascribe, 
And  crown  him  Lord  of  all." 


BEFORE    THE    DAWN.  311 

CXXII. 

The  hymn  is  hushed — yet  one  more  swelling  wave 

Of  song  rolls  up  from  those  attendant  throngs, 

So  loud,  its  liquid  measures  even  lave 

The  throne  of  God — the  grandest  of  all  songs, 

Its  theme  alike,  to  heaven  and  earth  belongs — 

It  fired  the  souls  of  heroes  for  emprise, 

And  heavenward  raised  their  thoughts ;    and  e'en 

the  tongues 

Of  angels  chant  its  measures  in  the  skies ; — • 
Like  ocean's,  and  the  thunder's  voice,  its  clamors  rise. 

CXXIII. 

"  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow ; 
Praise  him,  all  creatures  here  below ; 
Praise  him  above,  ye  heavenly  host ; 
Praise  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost." 


THE     END. 


Of 

U5I7BRSITT 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


